Hundreds of people marched in Barcelona on Saturday to demonstrate against the authorities’ harsh measures following a series of violent protests against the imprisonment of Pablo Hasél, an artist who opposes the system.
Saturday’s march took place under heavy police presence and meandered through several streets of the Catalan regional capital. The protesters marched behind a banner demanding the release of Hasél and some of his followers.
Hasél is serving a nine-month prison sentence for inciting terrorist acts – praising two armed groups now defunct and responsible for killing more than 900 people in Spain – and refusing to pay a fine for insulting of the emeritus of the Spanish king.
His arrest on February 16 sparked peaceful and violent protests that sometimes resulted in the looting of shops in several cities. The case has also sparked a debate about the limits of freedom of expression in Spain.
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The left-wing ruling coalition has pledged to implement legal reforms to abolish imprisonment for crimes involving freedom of expression. The coalition’s junior partner, the far left United We Can party, has filed a petition to pardon Hasél.
Eight people have been jailed for being part of a group that protested the rapper’s imprisonment and set fire to a police van, an incident in which an officer narrowly escaped the flames.
They may be charged with attempted murder, assault on law enforcement officers, and being part of a criminal group.