Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • World
  • Mid-East
  • Europe
  • Americas
  • Asia Pacific
  • Africa
  • Syrian Crisis
  • Islamophobia

Violent protests erupt in Spain over jailing of rapper Pablo Hasel

by Reuters

BARCELONA Feb 22, 2021 - 6:00 pm GMT+3
A barricade built with trash containers burns during a protest in support of Catalan rapper Pablo Hasel, after he was given a jail sentence on charges of glorifying terrorism and insulting royalty in his songs, in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 19, 2021. (Reuters Photo)
A barricade built with trash containers burns during a protest in support of Catalan rapper Pablo Hasel, after he was given a jail sentence on charges of glorifying terrorism and insulting royalty in his songs, in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 19, 2021. (Reuters Photo)
by Reuters Feb 22, 2021 6:00 pm

Police charged protesters who set fire to rubbish containers and attacked banks in Spanish cities on Friday in the fourth night of clashes after a rapper was jailed for glorifying terrorism and insulting royalty in his songs.

The nine-month sentence of Pablo Hasel, known for his fiercely anti-establishment raps, has galvanized a debate over freedom of expression in Spain, prompting the government to announce it would make speech laws less restrictive and sparking protests that, at times, turned violent.

A person takes a picture during a protest in support of Catalan rapper Pablo Hasel, after he was given a jail sentence on charges of glorifying terrorism and insulting royalty in his songs, in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 19, 2021. (Reuters Photo)
A person takes a picture during a protest in support of Catalan rapper Pablo Hasel, after he was given a jail sentence on charges of glorifying terrorism and insulting royalty in his songs, in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 19, 2021. (Reuters Photo)

Two banks were attacked in Barcelona. Police charged protesters in the northern Catalan city of Girona.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the violence which has marked protests over the past three nights.

A protester breaks the glass of a bank branch's door during clashes with Catalan regional police forces Mossos d'Esquadra after a demonstration against the imprisonment of Spanish rapper Pablo Hasel in Barcelona on Feb. 19, 2021. (AFP Photo)
A protester breaks the glass of a bank branch's door during clashes with Catalan regional police forces Mossos d'Esquadra after a demonstration against the imprisonment of Spanish rapper Pablo Hasel in Barcelona on Feb. 19, 2021. (AFP Photo)

"Democracy protects freedom of speech, including the expression of the most awful, absurd thoughts, but democracy never ever protects violence," he told an event, promising to "widen and improve freedom of speech."

During the last three nights police fired tear gas and foam bullets at demonstrators who set fire to trash containers and motorcycles and looted stores. There were also clashes in the capital Madrid and other cities.

Protesters push a trash container during clashes with Catalan regional police forces Mossos d'Esquadra after a demonstration against the imprisonment of Spanish rapper Pablo Hasel in Barcelona on Feb. 19, 2021. (AFP Photo)
Protesters push a trash container during clashes with Catalan regional police forces Mossos d'Esquadra after a demonstration against the imprisonment of Spanish rapper Pablo Hasel in Barcelona on Feb. 19, 2021. (AFP Photo)

Officials said around 60 people have been arrested across Catalonia, where Barcelona is located. One woman lost an eye during clashes in Barcelona, triggering calls from politicians to investigate police tactics.

Rights group Amnesty International called for legal changes in Spain, saying that anti-terrorism and gagging laws also unfairly limited people's right to demonstrate their disapproval in the streets.

"Spain is a country with freedom of expression, of course, but there are threats to that freedom," Amnesty head for Spain, Esteban Beltran, told Reuters.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Feb 22, 2021 8:53 pm
    KEYWORDS
    spain pablo hasel jailing riots pablo sanchez
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    In photos: Deadly storms hit northern Italy, southern France
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021