BARCELONA (SPAIN) – Security was beefed up in Catalonia in Spain in order to brace for further protests over the arrest of a rapper on charges of glorifying terrorism and insulting royalty in his numbers.
Rapper Pablo Hasel, who is known for his radical views, had missed a Friday deadline to surrender to police in order to serve a nine-month prison term handed down in 2018.
On Tuesday, police stormed a university building where he had barricaded himself and arrested him. This sparked rallies and riots in Barcelona and other cities in Catalonia.
Sources said police have “strengthened sensitive areas” in a bid to prevent more rioting.
While speaking to the media, regional security chief Miquel Samper appealed to protesters to assemble peacefully.