(ANSA) - BARCELONA, 19 FEB - Spanish police announced that they had arrested 16 people last night, between Barcelona and Valencia, after a third night of protests for the release of rapper Pablo Hasel, while the president of the Spanish government Pedro Sanchez said that Madrid "will oppose any form of violence".
In Barcelona eight people have been arrested for "activating and resistance", according to the regional police, which had already arrested 51 people across Catalonia in the previous two nights of protests.
The demonstrators threw objects on the police, raised barricades with garbage bins and street furniture, which they then set on fire.
Six people, according to the emergency services, were injured.
Protests in Valencia also resulted in violence and clashes with the police, who charged the demonstrators by firing rubber bullets.
According to the police, 8 people were arrested and 10 officers injured.
The number of protesters among the protesters is not clear.
The riots began Tuesday evening in Catalonia, hours after the arrest of rapper Pablo Hasel, sentenced to nine months in prison for tweets against the monarchy and the police, on charges of "condoning terrorism".
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