- Title: Camp Nou shielded to protect 'el Clasico` from separatist protests
- Date: 18th December 2019
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (DECEMBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CATALAN POLICE VANS ARRIVING AT THE HOTEL WHERE BARCELONA AND REAL MADRID WILL CONCENTRATE AHEAD OF "EL CLASICO" VARIOUS OF POLICE SETTING BARRIERS IN FRONT OF THE HOTEL WHERE BARCELONA AND REAL MADRID WILL STAY AHEAD OF "EL CLASICO" ARMED POLICE OFFICER POLICE PASSING HOTEL VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICER ON GUARD POLICE VANS PARKED OUT SIDE SOFIA HOTEL EXTERIOR OF BARCELONA'S CAMP NOU STADIUM SECURITY GUARD WITH DOG SECURITY DOG IN FRONT OF THE STADIUM POLICE DOG JUMPING OUT OF VAN BOMB DISPOSAL POLICE OFFICER GETTING READY SECURITY GUARD AND SECURITY POLICE IN FRONT OF STADIUM VARIOUS OF GRAFFITI SHOWING BARCELONA'S DEFENDER GERARD PIQUE AND REAL MADRID DEFENDER SERGIO RAMOS KISSING INSIDE A HEART AND WITH THE TEXT READING IN ENGLISH "KISS AND TALK" MAN TAKING PICTURE OF THE IMAGE GRAFFITI
- Embargoed: 1st January 2020 10:14
- Keywords: Barca Clasico Police Protest Real Madrid Security
- Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001BAI79ZB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Tight security surrounded Barcelona's famous Camp Nou stadium on Wednesday (December 18) ahead of the top of the table clash between Spain's rival soccer giants - "El Clasico".
A political cloud hangs over the match against Real Madrid with the secretive Catalan protest group Democratic Tsunami calling for supporters of the northeastern region's independence to stage protests in the hours before kickoff.
The group, which organised mass demonstrations at Barcelona's airport in October and blocked a major highway, said on its social media accounts that more than 25,000 people have confirmed they would take part in Wednesday's protests.
They also called on spectators to take inflatable balls to the match. Soccer fans - notably in Germany - have staged protests by throwing items onto the pitch before or during games, halting play while the playing surface is cleared.
Authorities in Barcelona have assembled a 3,000-strong force of public and private security officers to guarantee the match will not be disrupted, but declined to say how that compared to other "El Clasico" games.
The match was postponed for two months due to the political unrest in Catalonia.
Barca lead the standings after 16 games but are locked on 35 points with second-placed Real.
(Production: Marco Trujillo, Miguel Pereira, Silvio Castellanos) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
