A total of 19 people were detained overnight in Spain's semi-autonomous region of Catalonia during ongoing country-wide demonstrations against an unpopular Supreme Court decision regarding punishments for Catalan pro-independence leaders, media reported on Friday, citing police
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2019) A total of 19 people were detained overnight in Spain's semi-autonomous region of Catalonia during ongoing country-wide demonstrations against an unpopular Supreme Court decision regarding punishments for Catalan pro-independence leaders, media reported on Friday, citing police.
On Monday, the Supreme Court sentenced nine Catalan independence leaders to prison terms ranging from nine to 13 years over their involvement in the 2017 unauthorized independence referendum. The ruling caused mass protests across Spain, particularly in Catalonia, with protesters setting fire to cars, vandalizing public property and throwing Molotov cocktails at police.
The protesters were detained on Thursday night for causing public disorder and attacking law enforcement, Catalonia's La Vanguardia newspaper said. Four were arrested in Barcelona, five in Girona, two in Lleida, two in central Catalonia, and six in Tarragona.
According to Spain's El Pais newspaper, at least 42 people were injured in the violent protests between Thursday night and Friday morning.
On Thursday, Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said that a total of 97 protesters had been detained in the demonstrations in Catalonia since Monday.
Catalonia is under a region-wide general strike on Friday following mobilization calls from two Catalan pro-independence trade unions. The strike has affected public services in various sectors, including transportation, education and health services. However, agencies continue to provide minimal services to the public, as required by government regulation.
