They acted "violently", "organized" and targeted "against the police": this is how Catalan investigators described the group action of eight people - including six Italians - arrested on Saturday in the clashes that took place in Barcelona during the protests for the arrest of rapper Pablo Hasél.
The police say that these are individuals linked to anarchist movements: in addition to damaging bank branches, shops and street furniture, it was they - the Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalan police denounced - who set fire to a van of the City guard with an officer inside, who then managed to escape without consequences.
For all those arrested, the Mossos are now accused of attempted murder, belonging to a criminal group, public unrest and property damage.
On Wednesday, March 3, the six Italians - five boys and a girl, aged between 28 and 35 - will appear before the judge for the hearing to validate the arrests.
The other two people arrested are a Spanish and a French citizen.
The Italian consulate in Barcelona, in agreement with the Italian embassy in Madrid, is in contact with the judiciary and investigators to assist those arrested.
Saturday was just the latest in a long series of nights of protests not only in the Catalan capital but also in other areas of Spain that started after the arrest of Hasél - convicted of condemning terrorism and insults against the monarchy - and resulted in then into growing discontent.
