Protests against the imprisonment of Pablo Hasél
| Protests against the imprisonment of Pablo Hasél | |
|---|---|
Barcelona, 16 February 2021 | |
| Date | 16 February 2021 – 27 February 2021 |
| Location | |
| Caused by | Triggered by the imprisonment of Pablo Hasél for two final sentences for glorifying terrorism, Lèse-majesté and insulting state institutions. |
| Casualties | |
| Injuries | 220 (129 protesters and 91 Catalan police officers) |
| Arrested | 170 |
| Damage | looting, Vic police station assaulted, fire on Barcelona police van, hundreds of containers and vehicles burned, €1.5M (Barcelona, 22 February), €200,000 (Madrid, 20 February) |
On 16 February 2021, the Catalan rapper Pablo Hasél was arrested and imprisoned in his hometown of Lleida, Catalonia for two final sentences by order of the Audiencia Nacional in Madrid: a 2-year prison sentence for glorification of terrorism in his songs and a second sentence of 9 months in prison for glorification of terrorism in a song and several tweets, as well as a fine of 10,800 euros for Lèse-majesté and another of 6,750 euros for insulting state institutions, which add up to days in prison for each instalment he fails to pay. His imprisonment sparked a wave of protests and has coincided with the government's announcement of a reform of crimes related to freedom of expression.
Starting from that night, supporters protested in several cities across Spain, with some protests involving violence and property damage. The protests caused rifts in Spain's coalition government, between PSOE members supportive of the police, and Podemos members supportive of protests.