Rallies in Spain in support of an arrested rapper ended in riots

Protests in several Spanish cities against the arrest of Spanish rapper Pablo Acel, who was arrested for insulting the monarchy and glorifying terrorism, ended in riots, 24 Horas TV reported.
Acel was sentenced in 2015 to two years of probation for glorifying terrorism in the lyrics of his songs. However, he received a new sentence in 2018. The court found that 64 posts on Twitter and one song posted on YouTube contained statements that glorified terrorism and slandered the monarchy and state institutions. He was sentenced to nine months in prison. The rapper was supposed to volunteer to go to jail last Friday but refused to do so. On Monday, Acel barricaded himself inside the University of Lleida with about half a hundred supporters. On Tuesday morning, law enforcement authorities detained him.

In Lleida massive demonstration for the freedom of Pablo Hasel, kidnapped today by the bodies repressive#LlibertatPabloHasel #antireport#spain#FreePabloHasel pic.twitter.com/Qix1iwn956

— Anti-Imperialist Front (@_AIF1) February 16, 2021

In the evening, rallies in support of him took place in a number of Spanish cities, and there were clashes with police and riots. In Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Valencia, protesters pelted the police with different objects, overturned trash garbage cans, and set them on fire. The police used batons and rubber bullets to disperse the radicals. The newspaper Vanguardia reports at least one casualty in Barcelona – a rubber bullet hit a woman in the eye. Europa Press reports on an injured law enforcement officer in Lleida.
Actions in defense of the rapper are expected to continue in other Spanish cities, including Madrid, on Wednesday.
Last week, hundreds of prominent cultural figures, including director Pedro Almodóvar and actor Javier Bardem, signed a manifesto in support of him, raising the issue of free speech. The Spanish government has announced plans to revise the punishment for free speech offenses to apply only to those who demonstrate violent behavior or whose actions pose a threat to public order.