Protests in Madrid continue for a second night as opposition grows against negotiations between Spain’s acting government and Catalan separatist parties over a possible amnesty for those involved in Catalonia’s independence movement. Police clashed with protestors, resulting in arrests and injuries. Joseph Wilson And Iain Sullivan reported
In Madrid, Spain, clashes between police and protesters continued for a second night on Tuesday. The protesters are opposing negotiations between Spain’s acting government and Catalan separatist parties regarding a possible amnesty for thousands involved in Catalonia’s independence movement. The protesters, some of whom identified as “nazis,” waved Spanish flags and shouted insults against the acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez. They pushed against barriers set by riot gear-clad police, who responded with rubber bullets and batons.
The government reported that around 7,000 people attended Tuesday’s gathering at the national headquarters in Madrid, which is double the number of protestors from the previous day. Similar protests took place in other Spanish cities. On Monday, three people were arrested, including two men for violent behavior against the police and one woman for disobedience.
The far-right Vox party, the third-largest party in the national Parliament, stated that it did not support the violence witnessed at the protests but backed the anti-government demonstration. Vox’s leader, Santiago Abascal, even attended Monday’s event in Madrid.
In response to the protests, Sánchez, the leader of the Socialist Party, criticized them, stating that they were being led by “reactionaries.” He expressed his support for the Socialist Party members who were facing harassment from the protestors.
The reason for the protests is Sánchez’s negotiation with the Catalan separatist parties to gain their support in forming a new government and maintaining his center-left coalition’s power after the inconclusive national election in July. However, the separatist parties have demanded a sweeping amnesty, including their leaders who fled Spain after the failed 2017 secession attempt, in exchange for their votes in Parliament and other concessions.
These negotiations have caused anger among many in Spain, including leading opposition parties on the right, who accuse Sánchez of capitulating to lawbreakers. The conservative Popular Party, the main opposition party, has called for its own protest against the amnesty negotiations on Sunday in public squares in each provincial capital.
It is important to note that previous protests in recent weeks had remained peaceful. Sánchez has a deadline of November 27 to form a new government; otherwise, the Parliament will be dissolved, and new elections will be called for January.
Despite losing momentum in recent years, Catalonia’s separatist movement still maintains strong support in the wealthy northeast region, including control of the regional government.
In Madrid, Alicia León contributed to this story, while Wilson reported from Barcelona, Spain..