SOME police in Catalunya have begun using excessive brutality on protesters demonstrating against the Supreme Court decision to jail nine independence leaders.
Chaos on the region’s streets ensued after the country’s top court imposed severe prison sentences of between nine and 13 years for the Catalan separatists’ role in the illegal independence referendum in 2017.
A 22-year-old man losing an eye after being hit by a rubber bullet yesterday is among the horrific injuries reported in the fierce clashes between police and protesters.
At least 170 people are reported to have been injured after tens of thousands took to the streets following the ruling yesterday.
Shocking footage posted online appears to show police ramming protesters with vehicles, an officer throwing an old woman to the ground, as well as a man already floored being punched in the face by an officer.
Violence has also erupted between those on opposite sides of Cataluyna’s independence debate, with one video showing a man throwing an elderly lady to the ground after she had been taunting Catalunyans with a Spanish flag.
Protesters are hurling bottles, flares and fireworks at police as well as using fences and anything else they can get their hands on as weapons.
The fences erected by police outside the Government Delegation in Barcelona have also now been breached by a huge crowd.
Meanwhile several roads have today been blocked, including the AP-7 near Sant Gregori in Girona, the C-17 road near Gurb and the C-25.
Barcelona’s El Prat Aiport also turned into a battleground last night and over 100 flights were cancelled on Monday and 45 more today.
Chants including ‘give us back the prisoners or the streets will be ours’ can be heard.
Spain’s acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who faces a general election on November 10, has supported the decision of the Supreme Court judges.
He said: “Nobody is above the law. In a democracy, nobody is subject to trial for his or her ideas or politics but, rather, for criminal conduct as set out by the law.”
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