HUNDREDS of students have gathered in Barcelona and other Catalan cities after a third night of protests against the jailing of rapper Pablo Hasel for insulting the monarchy and allegedly glorifying terrorism.
The students, affiliated to a left-wing pro-independence union, went on strike today, demanding the rapper’s freedom and an amnesty for Catalonia’s political prisoners and those locked up during the days of demonstrations.
Around 200 marched through Barcelona chanting and setting off firecrackers outside a police station and throwing eggs the building. They will continue their demonstrations tonight.
Hasel lost a recent appeal and is looking at an additional prison term of two-and-a-half years for obstructing justice and assault in 2017.
However, the sentence can go to appeal again before Spain's Supreme Court.
His detention has triggered a heated debate over free speech in Spain and a storm over the use of violence by police and the rapper’s supporters.
United We Can (Podemos), the junior partner in Spain’s ruling coalition, filed a petition for a “total pardon” for Hasel and another rapper Valtonyc, who is in exile in Belgium after fleeing there in 2018 to avoid being tried over his lyrics.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said: “Violence is an attack on democracy, and the government will take a stand against any form of violence to ensure people’s safety.”
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