Barcelona estimates the cost of the damage in the riots following Hasél's arrest at 70,000 euros

BarcelonaThe balance of the riots that took place yesterday in different cities after the protest protest against the imprisonment of Pablo Hasél is of 33 injured, who had to be treated by the Medical Emergency System (SEM), and at least 14 arrested for the riots in cities such as Barcelona, Lleida, Reus, Girona and Vic. This morning, the Home Affairs Minister, Miquel Sàmper, held an emergency meeting with the top echelon of the Mossos to analyse the police actions and the damage caused by the demonstrators to the Vic police station, which was attacked with stones, and the burning of motorbikes belonging to the Guardia Urbana in Lleida. There were clashes between the demonstrators, who threw blunt objects and pyrotechnics, and the police, who used foam bullets and dispersed the concentrations with vans.

In Barcelona, where the Mossos made two arrests, the demonstrators burned around fifty containers and, according to Mayor Ada Colau, the cost of this destruction is around 70,000 euros. Colau, while assuring that she shares the "indignation" at Hasél's imprisonment, called for the riots not to be repeated and stressed that the solution must be political. In statements to RAC1, she insisted that "violence is not the way" and that these actions will not get the musician out of prison. Colau hoped for an emergency pardon.

In Lleida, clashes between demonstrators and the police ended with at least eight people arrested and several injured, including six officers from the Urbana and the Mossos. The riots ended with three motorbikes of the Guardia Urbana damaged, two of which were burnt. The mayor of the municipality, Miquel Pueyo, said today that "violence and vandalism by a minority are not the answer" to the "necessary defence of freedom of expression".

The mayor of Vic, Anna Erra, regretted that the demonstration "crossed a line" and said in statements to RAC1 that the attack on the Mossos police station was the work of a "small group of very well-prepared people". In this sense, she said that some of the demonstrators were "prepared" to burn containers, although she added that she does not have "enough information" to say if the attack was premeditated. This Wednesday the police force is assessing the damage to the police building, which was hit by stones and various objects that caused doors and windows to break. In addition, the demonstrators also broke the video surveillance system. The incidents ended with at least four people arrested and eleven officers injured.

Urgent meeting

This morning, the This morning, the Home Affairs Minister, Miquel Sàmper, has met urgently with the general director of the police, Pere Ferrer; the major of the Mossos, Josep Lluís Trapero, and other commanders to analyze the riots that took place in different cities. Sàmper and Trapero already moved last night to the police station of the Mossos de Vic, where there were riots. The mayor of the city, Anna Erra, accompanied them. The Minister will appear this morning at a press conference to address the situation.