Separatists in Catalonia: night of violence should follow general strike

After the condemnation of the leaders of the Catalan separatists to long-term prison sentences, the region in northeastern Spain continues to not calm down: On Friday, activists want to bring the city of Barcelona to a standstill with a general strike and major demonstrations. For the "Marches for Freedom" trips are organized from five cities in the region.

The night of Friday saw riots and clashes between Catalan activists and the police. Local media reported about a dozen casualties. The local police reported eleven arrests.

Emilio Morenatti / AP

Pro-Catalan activists in Barcelona disassemble the exterior of a sidewalk café

The most violent clashes were again in the regional capital. Independence movement supporters set fire to dumpsters and sidewalk tables and chairs in the center of Barcelona. In addition, according to police a bank branch and a clothing store were devastated.

There were occasional clashes between demonstrators and security forces. Officials had been attacked with stones and Böllern and had used their own rubber and foam bullets, report local media.

The police were apparently unable to prevent a collision between separatists and right-wing extremists who were holding a rally. Prospan neo-fascists apparently sought specifically the confrontation with the Catalan separatists, among whom leftist anti-fascists are often to be found.

Bernat Armangue / AP

Prospan ultranationalists in Barcelona seek conflict with radical Catalans

According to Spanish television stations, many thousands of independence activists were still traveling in Barcelona after midnight. Also in other Catalan cities such as Girona and Lleida there had been demonstrations on Thursday.

As a result of the riots, Spanish newspapers also announce that Saturday's Clasico, the match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, has been postponed by the Spanish football league.

The cause of the protests was the conviction of nine separatist leaders, including a maximum of 13 years imprisonment of ex-Vice-Regional Director Oriol Junqueras. The separatist politicians had held in October 2017 a judicially declared spin-off referendum. On Monday, Spain's Supreme Court found seven former Catalan leaders and two leaders of civil organizations guilty.