- Title: Spanish police clash with Catalan separatists as they try to disperse protest
- Date: 14th October 2019
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 14, 2019) (REUTERS) CROWDS OF PROTESTERS RUNNING AS RIOT POLICE WIELDING BATONS CHARGE/RIOT POLICE FORMING POLICE LINE TO CONTAIN PROTESTERS AS PROTESTERS LIFT UP THEIR ARMS AND STEP BACK/POLICE CHARGING AND WIELDING BATONS AND CROWDS RUNS POLICE BEATING PROTESTER WITH BATON AS HE SITS ON THE GROUND/POLICE WIELDING BATONS AT PROTESTERS PROTESTERS AND POLICE IN STAND-OFF GROUP OF POLICE APPROACHING WOMAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHO HAS HER ARMS UP, POLICE HITTING HER WITH BATONS/PROTESTERS HELPING ELDERLY MAN UP AFTER HE FALLS ON THE ROAD, ELDERLY MAN YELLING AT POLICE AS OTHER PROTESTERS TRY TO CALM BOTH POLICE AND ELDERLY MAN DOWN POLICE RE-TAKING POSITION PROTESTERS CHANTING AND POLICE MOVE ON PROTESTERS TRYING TO LEAVE PROTEST AREA AS THEY GO PAST POLICE PROTESTERS RUNNING AS POLICE CHARGE/POLICE HITTING PROTESTERS WITH BATONS/OBJECTS LANDING NEAR POLICE PROTESTER HOLDING UMBRELLA TAUNTING POLICE STANDING IN POLICE LINE/PROTESTERS ADVANCING AS THEY FOLLOW PROTESTER WITH UMBRELLA AND RIOT POLICE RETREATING PROTESTER HOLDING UMBRELLA AND SIGNALLING OTHER PROTESTERS TO MOVE BACK RIOT POLICE RUNNING NEXT TO POLICE VAN PROTESTERS SITTING ON ROAD AS OTHER STAND UP WHILE RIOT POLICE LOOK ON VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING UP THEIR MOBILE PHONES WITH THE FLASHLIGHT ON PROTESTERS HOLDING MOBILE PHONES WITH LIGHT ON CHANTING IN CATALAN, "FREEDOM FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS" PROTESTERS HOLDING MOBILE PHONES WITH LIGHT ON
- Embargoed: 28th October 2019 20:39
- Keywords: protest Supreme court ruling conviction of Catalan separatists sentence Catalonia Spain
- Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001B12LAVB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Spain's Supreme Court on Monday (October 14) jailed nine Catalan separatist leaders for between nine and 13 years for their role in a failed independence bid, a decision that triggered mass protests in region, some of which turned violent.
The main flashpoints were around the Spanish National Police headquarters in central Barcelona and the Catalan capital's El Prat international airport which became the focal point of the demonstrations.
Earlier, acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the sentence signified the defeat of the independence movement, whose campaign has caused Spain's most serious political crisis since the death of dictator Francisco Franco four decades ago, but protesters vowed to continue demonstrating until Catalonia's independence is achieved.
A government source told Reuters the situation so far was considered under control, but cautioned it would likely remain risky at least until the weekend.
The strength of the protests could be the first indication of how the future looks for the independence struggle, which has so far been largely peaceful. Nor does the ruling answer the question of how to handle the separatism drive supported by nearly half of Catalonia's population. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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