After new riots by separatists in Catalonia, the head of the regional government has publicly criticized the recent outbreaks of violence for the first time. „That has to stop immediately. There is no reason or justification for setting cars on fire or for any other vandalism, „Regional President Quim Torra said in a televised statement tonight.
Catalonia’s Prime Minister Quim Torra
Reuters / Albert Gea
The independence movement has always condemned and is still doing violence. „The incidents we experience on our streets can not be allowed.“
In Catalonia’s capital, Barcelona, and elsewhere in the northeastern region of Spain, it was yesterday, for the third night in a row, that there were serious riots by Catalan independence advocates.
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Dozens injured
The protests erupted after Spain’s Supreme Court sentenced nine separatist leaders to long prison terms on Monday in Madrid. At least 20 protesters were arrested yesterday, the Catalan regional police said on Twitter. According to the emergency services, 52 people received medical care. In Tarragona, a protester was hit by a police car and suffered a traumatic brain injury.
Protesters have set fire to cars, built burning barricades and attacked officials with incendiary devices, police said. It was already the third day with massive demonstrations by advocates of a secession of Catalonia from Spain. It must be peacefully demonstrated against the „unfair judgment“ from Madrid, said Regional President Torra.
However, according to media reports, he avoided criticizing radical activists of the „Republican Defense Committees“ (CDR) for the riots, blaming the violence for „provocateurs“ instead.
