Spain: mega protest against amnesty: clashes and arrests in Madrid

The Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) in power and the Catalan independence movement JxCat have signed an amnesty agreement for pro-independence leaders, paving the way for the investiture of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The pact, signed by representatives of the two parties, Santos Cerdan for the PSOE and Jordi Turull for JxCat, immediately sparked indignation in the ranks of the Spanish right as it will absolve hundreds of people involved in promoting Catalonia's independence referendum in 2017. Violent protests, for the agreement between PSOE and Junts, also occurred in Madrid in the evening where the police arrested fifteen demonstrators for the clashes that occurred with the police in front of the headquarters of the Socialist Party. The demonstration in the Spanish capital was the largest of those held so far, with around 8,000 participants, according to official government sources. 

The protest took place normally and without incident until 10pm, when a group of demonstrators began to set off firecrackers and shake the separation fences. The tension continued to grow, until after 10.40pm the National Police riot officers charged at the ultras who threw objects, bottles, containers and firecrackers at them. The attack took place in Marques de Urquijo street, near the socialist headquarters, and for almost an hour accidents occurred in the surrounding area, with terraces destroyed and small fires, some of which involved containers, in the middle of the street. Also present at the demonstration was the president of Vox, Santiago Abascal, who called Sanchez's agreement a "coup d'état" and explained that he would participate in the demonstration as a "Spaniard" to "support his compatriots".

Vox