Protesters against COVID-19 restrictions clash with police in Spanish cities

Madrid, November 1

Spain’s prime minister on Saturday condemned a collection of violent protests in cities throughout the nation in opposition to restrictions imposed to curb the surge of COVID-19 after a six-month state of emergency got here into impact this week.

Riot police shot clean bullets to attempt to disperse scores of protesters who have been setting fireplace to garbage bins in Madrid’s foremost thoroughfare Gran Via.

Meanwhile, demonstrators pelted police with rocks and different projectiles in Barcelona in a second evening of disturbances in Spain’s second-largest metropolis.

In the northern Spanish metropolis of Logroño, about 150 individuals attacked police with stones, set fireplace to containers and looted outlets, police reported. Riot police have been drafted in to quell disturbances in Haro, within the wine-growing area of La Rioja.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted: “Only from responsibility, unity and sacrifice will we be able to defeat the pandemic that is devastating all countries. Violent and irrational behavior by minority groups is intolerable. It is not the way.”

On Friday, about 50 demonstrators attacked police with stones in Barcelona, set garbage containers on fireplace and looted outlets. Fourteen individuals have been arrested and 30 injured.

Earlier, native police mentioned about 1,500 lodge and restaurant staff took half in a peaceable demonstration in opposition to restrictions imposed beneath the state of emergency which they declare will threaten their jobs. All bars and eating places have been closed within the Spanish area of Catalonia, which incorporates Barcelona, till November 13.

Similar disturbances occurred within the cities of Burgos, Vitoria, Santander, Valencia and Zaragoza on Friday.

Spain, one of many hardest-hit nations by COVID-19, this week imposed a state of emergency till early May, giving areas authorized backing to determine curfews and prohibit journey to strive halt the rise of coronavirus infections.

Like different European nations, Spain has resorted to more and more drastic measures to curb infections, though much less stringent than these adopted by Germany or France. Reuters