View source for Protests against the imprisonment of Pablo Hasél

{{Short description|Riots caused by the arrest of a Spanish rapper}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox civil conflict
| title    = Protests against the imprisonment of Pablo Hasél
| image    = Protestes_contra_l'empresonament_de_Pablo_Hasél,_manifestació_a_Barcelona.jpg
| caption  = Barcelona, 16 February 2021
| date     = 16 February 2021 – 27 February 2021
| place    = [[Barcelona]] (principal), [[Girona]], [[Lleida]], [[Tarragona]], [[Vic, Spain|Vic]], [[Vilanova i la Geltrú]], [[Sabadell]], [[Terrassa]], [[Vilafranca del Penedès]], [[Madrid]], [[Valencia]], [[Bilbao]]
| causes   = Triggered by the imprisonment of [[Pablo Hasél]] for two final sentences for glorifying terrorism, [[Lèse-majesté]] and insulting state institutions.<ref name=cadena>{{cite news |last1=Pozas |first1=Alberto |title=Las cuatro condenas de Pablo Hasél |trans-title=Pablo Hasél's four sentences |url=https://cadenaser.com/ser/2021/02/18/tribunales/1613661491_564846.html |access-date=25 February 2021 |publisher=[[Cadena SER]] |date=18 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=23 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210223110448/https://cadenaser.com/ser/2021/02/18/tribunales/1613661491_564846.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
| damage   = [[looting]],<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-56143296 |title=Barcelona stores attacked in Pablo Hasel protests |work=BBC News |access-date=22 March 2021 |archive-date=6 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306135636/https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-56143296 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Vic, Spain|Vic]] police station assaulted,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.niusdiario.es/sociedad/sucesos/asalto-comisaria-mossos-vic-manifestantes-revientan-cristaleras-detencion-pablo-hasel-manifestacion_18_3093045051.html |title=Asalto en la comisaría de los Mossos de Vic: Los manifestantes revientan cristaleras y destrozan mobiliario - NIUS |date=17 February 2021 |access-date=22 March 2021 |archive-date=17 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210217110048/https://www.niusdiario.es/sociedad/sucesos/asalto-comisaria-mossos-vic-manifestantes-revientan-cristaleras-detencion-pablo-hasel-manifestacion_18_3093045051.html |url-status=live }}</ref> fire on [[Barcelona]] police van,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.elnacional.cat/en/news/rambla-rioter-attempted-murder-fire-barcelona-police-van-pablo-hasel_587835_102.html |title=Rambla rioter faces attempted murder charge for setting fire to Barcelona police van |date=March 2021 |access-date=22 March 2021 |archive-date=2 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302013740/https://www.elnacional.cat/en/news/rambla-rioter-attempted-murder-fire-barcelona-police-van-pablo-hasel_587835_102.html |url-status=live }}</ref> hundreds of containers and vehicles burned, €1.5M (Barcelona, 22 February),<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/local/barcelona/20210222/6257347/disturbios-hasel-barcelona-protestas-factura-destrozos.amp.html | title=La factura de una semana de disturbios se dispara y ya supera el millón y medio de euros | trans-title=The bill for a week of unrest shoots up and now exceeds one and half million euros | first=Luis | last=Benvenuty | work=La Vanguardia | date=22 February 2021 | accessdate=22 February 2021 | language=Spanish | archive-date=22 February 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222073639/https://www.lavanguardia.com/local/barcelona/20210222/6257347/disturbios-hasel-barcelona-protestas-factura-destrozos.amp.html | url-status=live }}</ref> €200,000 (Madrid, 20 February)<ref name=almeida/>
| arrests  = 170<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.vilaweb.cat/noticies/mossos-detencions-129-persones-protestes-pablo-hasel/amp/ | title=Els Mossos han detingut un total de 109 persones en les protestes per Pablo Hasel | trans-title=The Mossos have detained a total of 109 people in the protests for Pablo Hasél | date=22 February 2021 | publisher=vilaweb.cat | accessdate=22 February 2021 | language=Catalan | archive-date=22 February 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222113706/https://www.vilaweb.cat/noticies/mossos-detencions-129-persones-protestes-pablo-hasel/amp/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
| injuries = 220 (129 protesters and 91 [[Mossos d'Esquadra|Catalan police officers]])
}}
On 16 February 2021, the [[Catalonia|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]].<ref name=cadena/>
Starting from that night, supporters protested in several cities across Spain, with some protests involving violence and property damage.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pablo Hasél protests: Violence in Spanish cities over rapper's jailing |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56107027 |access-date=21 February 2021 |publisher=BBC News |date=18 February 2021 |archive-date=22 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222031022/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56107027 |url-status=live }}</ref> The protests caused rifts in Spain's coalition government, between [[Socialist Workers' Party (Spain)|PSOE]] members supportive of the police, and [[Podemos (Spanish political party)|Podemos]] members supportive of protests.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cué |first1=Carlos E. |title=Los socios del Gobierno de coalición: "Esto no puede seguir así" |trans-title=Members of the coalition government: "This can't carry on as it is" |url=https://elpais.com/espana/2021-02-20/la-dificil-digestion-de-la-coalicion.html |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=El País |date=21 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=21 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221004149/https://elpais.com/espana/2021-02-20/la-dificil-digestion-de-la-coalicion.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Así ha sido la semana más tensa en el Gobierno: Deslealtades, cruce de líneas rojas y reproche de Sánchez a Iglesias |trans-title=How the tensest week went in the Government: Disloyalty, crossing of red lines and Sánchez's reproach of Iglesias |url=https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-asi-sido-semana-mas-tensa-gobierno-deslealtades-cruce-lineas-rojas-reproche-sanchez-iglesias-20210221110737.html |access-date=21 February 2021 |publisher=[[Europa Press (news agency)|Europa Press]] |date=21 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=21 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221101150/https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-asi-sido-semana-mas-tensa-gobierno-deslealtades-cruce-lineas-rojas-reproche-sanchez-iglesias-20210221110737.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Protests==
[[File:Demonstrations and protests in support of Pablo Hasél - Riots 01.jpg|thumb|Broken display windows after the riots.]]
In [[Barcelona]], the capital of Catalonia, looting occurred at banks and businesses.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Planas Bou |first1=Carles |title=Saqueos y barricadas en la cuarta noche de protestas en Barcelona por caso el Hasél |trans-title=Looting and barricades on the fourth night of protests in Barcelona for the Hasél case |url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/politica/20210220/saqueos-barricadas-cuarta-noche-protestas-barcelona-11532747 |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=[[El Periódico de Catalunya]] |date=20 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=20 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220135211/https://www.elperiodico.com/es/politica/20210220/saqueos-barricadas-cuarta-noche-protestas-barcelona-11532747 |url-status=live }}</ref> A female protester in the city lost an eye from a foam bullet fired by the [[Mossos d'Esquadra]], the police force of Catalonia.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Catá Figuls |first1=Josep |title=Una joven herida durante los disturbios por la detención de Pablo Hasél en Barcelona pierde un ojo |trans-title=A young woman injured in the unrest against Pablo Hasél's imprisonment in Barcelona loses an eye |url=https://elpais.com/espana/catalunya/2021-02-17/pierde-el-ojo-una-joven-herida-durante-los-disturbios-en-barcelona-por-la-detencion-de-hasel.html |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=[[El País]] |date=17 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=19 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219115502/https://elpais.com/espana/catalunya/2021-02-17/pierde-el-ojo-una-joven-herida-durante-los-disturbios-en-barcelona-por-la-detencion-de-hasel.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Violent unrest occurred in other Catalan cities, including Hasél's hometown of Lleida, as well as [[Vic, Spain|Vic]], [[Girona]] and [[Reus]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sánchez |first1=Guillem |title=Graves disturbios en Catalunya tras la detención de Hasél |trans-title=Serious unrest in Catalonia after the imprisonment of Hasél |url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/politica/20210217/manifestaciones-detencion-pablo-hasel-11523970 |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=El Periódico de Catalunya |date=17 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=18 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218212524/https://www.elperiodico.com/es/politica/20210217/manifestaciones-detencion-pablo-hasel-11523970 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Outside of Catalonia, violence was reported at the [[Puerta del Sol]] in [[Madrid]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Pablo Hasel: Violence in Madrid and Barcelona over rapper's jailing |url=https://www.euronews.com/2021/02/18/pablo-hasel-violence-in-madrid-and-barcelona-over-rapper-s-jailing |access-date=21 February 2021 |publisher=[[Euronews]] |date=18 February 2021 |archive-date=18 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218215502/https://www.euronews.com/2021/02/18/pablo-hasel-violence-in-madrid-and-barcelona-over-rapper-s-jailing |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Valencia]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Valencia vive otra noche de violencia por la detención de Hasel |trans-title=Valencia witnesses another night of violence after the imprisonment of Hasél |url=https://www.lasprovincias.es/politica/concentracion-personas-valencia-20210218193452-nt.html?ref=https:%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=[[Las Provincias]] |date=19 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=22 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210322202508/https://www.lasprovincias.es/politica/concentracion-personas-valencia-20210218193452-nt.html?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Bilbao]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Disturbios en la zona del Casco Viejo de Bilbao tras la manifestación de apoyo a Hasel |trans-title=Unrest in the Old Town area of Bilbao after the demonstration in support of Hasél |url=https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/4593109/0/disturbios-zona-casco-viejo-bilbao-manifestacion-apoyo-pablo-hasel/ |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=[[20 minutos]] |date=21 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=22 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210322202508/https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/4593109/0/disturbios-zona-casco-viejo-bilbao-manifestacion-apoyo-pablo-hasel/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[mayor of Madrid]], [[José Luis Martínez-Almeida]], reported damages of €200,000.<ref name=almeida>{{cite news |last1=Somolinos |first1=Daniel |last2=Durán |first2=Luis F. |title=Madrid se blinda contra los violentos |trans-title=Madrid shields itself from violence |url=https://www.elmundo.es/madrid/2021/02/20/602ffa6efdddff05728b4588.html |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=[[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]] |date=20 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=20 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220015211/https://www.elmundo.es/madrid/2021/02/20/602ffa6efdddff05728b4588.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Reactions==
Barcelona's mayor [[Ada Colau]], of [[En Comú Podem]], condemned all violence and voiced support for the police.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ada Colau rechaza los destrozos por las protestas por Hasél y apoya a la Policía |trans-title=Ada Colau condemns the destruction by the Hasél protests and supports the Police |url=https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/4592112/0/ada-colau-rechaza-destrozos-protestas-hasel-apoya-policia/ |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=20 minutos |date=20 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=20 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220110808/https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/4592112/0/ada-colau-rechaza-destrozos-protestas-hasel-apoya-policia/ |url-status=live }}</ref> This position was questioned by [[Dolors Sabater]], a [[Popular Unity Candidacy]] member of the [[Parliament of Catalonia]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Sabater, contra Colau per haver condemnat els aldarulls de Barcelona |trans-title=Sabater, against Colau for having condemned the riots in Barcelona |url=https://www.elnacional.cat/ca/politica/sabater-colau-condemnat-aldarulls-barcelona_585186_102.html |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=El Nacional |date=20 February 2021 |language=Catalan |archive-date=20 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220121413/https://www.elnacional.cat/ca/politica/sabater-colau-condemnat-aldarulls-barcelona_585186_102.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Almeida in Madrid acted in favour of the police,<ref name=almeida/> while mayor [[Joan Ribó]] in Valencia criticised the police response as disproportionate.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Checa |first1=Arturo |title=Ribó no es un alcalde de todos|trans-title=Ribó is not the mayor for everyone|url=https://www.lasprovincias.es/comunitat/opinion/ribo-alcalde-20210221010909-ntvo.html |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=Las Provincias |date=21 February 2021 |language=Spanish}}</ref>
Spain's prime minister [[Pedro Sánchez]] said "in a full democracy like Spain, violence is inadmissible...violence is a denial of democracy".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vigario |first1=David |last2=Peñalosa |first2=Gema |title=Pedro Sánchez rompe su silencio después de tres noches de disturbios: "En una democracia plena como España es inadmisible la violencia" |trans-title=Pedro Sánchez breaks his silence after three nights of unrest: "In a full democracy like Spain, violence is inadmissible" |url=https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2021/02/19/602f96d1fc6c83be3a8b471a.html |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=El Mundo |date=19 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=20 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220225403/https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2021/02/19/602f96d1fc6c83be3a8b471a.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The second deputy prime minister, [[Pablo Iglesias Turrión|Pablo Iglesias]] of [[Podemos (Spanish political party)|Podemos]], supported the protests; the first deputy prime minister [[Carmen Calvo]] condemned his position.<ref>{{cite news |title=Los disturbios por la detención de Hasel provocan el enésimo choque Podemos-PSOE y el PP pide el cese de Iglesias |trans-title=Unrest following imprisonment of Hasél provokes yet another Podemos-PSOE clash and the PP asks for Iglesias to be removed |url=https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/4588914/0/los-disturbios-por-la-detencion-de-hasel-provocan-el-enesimo-choque-podemos-psoe-y-el-pp-pide-el-cese-de-iglesias/ |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=20 minutos |date=18 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=18 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218115107/https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/4588914/0/los-disturbios-por-la-detencion-de-hasel-provocan-el-enesimo-choque-podemos-psoe-y-el-pp-pide-el-cese-de-iglesias/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
The official Podemos Twitter account said "Every time that people denounce a democratic irregularity in the streets, the media powers put the focus on the unrest so that we stop debating the root problem, and nothing changes. The fact that we don't fall into that trap doesn't put us on the side of violence, but rather of democratic progress".<ref>{{cite news |title=Podemos justifica su postura ante los disturbios en "no caer en la trampa" del "poder mediático" |trans-title=Podemos justify their position on the unrest as "not falling into the trap" of "media powers" |url=https://www.lasexta.com/noticias/nacional/podemos-justifica-postura-disturbios-caer-trampa-poder-mediatico_20210221603238dec092770001d9981f.html |access-date=22 February 2021 |publisher=[[La Sexta]] |date=21 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=21 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221192851/https://www.lasexta.com/noticias/nacional/podemos-justifica-postura-disturbios-caer-trampa-poder-mediatico_20210221603238dec092770001d9981f.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Podemos's parliamentary spokesperson, [[Pablo Echenique Robba|Pablo Echenique]], publicly supported the protests and first condemned their violent elements on 22 February.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rodríguez |first1=Miguel Ángel |title=Echenique condena por primera vez las protestas violentas por Pablo Hasél |trans-title=Echenique condemns the violent protests for Pablo Hasél for the first time |url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/politica/20210222/echenique-condena-protestas-hasel-podemos-psoe-11536815 |access-date=25 February 2021 |work=El Periódico de Catalunya |date=22 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=24 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224163903/https://www.elperiodico.com/es/politica/20210222/echenique-condena-protestas-hasel-podemos-psoe-11536815 |url-status=live }}</ref>
In the [[Valencian Community]], a similar government rift was reported between the [[Socialist Party of the Valencian Country]] and its allies from Podemos and the [[Coalició Compromís]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Romero |first1=Víctor |title=El caso Hasél abre otra brecha entre el PSOE valenciano y sus socios Compromís y Podem |trans-title=The Hasél case opens another rift between the Valencian PSOE and its Compromís and Podemos allies |url=https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/comunidad-valenciana/2021-02-20/caso-hasel-brecha-psoe-valenciano-compromis-podem_2959811/ |access-date=22 February 2021 |work=[[El Confidencial]] |date=20 February 2021 |language=Spanish |archive-date=20 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220142323/https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/comunidad-valenciana/2021-02-20/caso-hasel-brecha-psoe-valenciano-compromis-podem_2959811/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Protests in Catalonia]]
[[Category:Protests in Spain]] <!--Non-diffusing, for events outside Catalonia-->
[[Category:2021 protests]]
[[Category:February 2021 events in Spain]]