Clashes at Madrid protest in support of arrested rapper

Spanish police fired rubber bullets and baton-charged protesters as clashes erupted for a second night on Wednesday at demonstrations against the arrest of rap artist Pablo Hasél.

Many protesters threw objects at police and used trash containers, setting many alight, and overturning motorbikes to block streets in both Madrid and Barcelona, as well as other Spanish cities.

A number of shop windows were also smashed in the demonstrations.

A 24-hour standoff between police and Spanish rapper Pablo Hasél ended on Tuesday when anti-riot officers arrested the artist shortly after dawn and escorted him out of Lleida University’s rectorate building. He and more than 50 supporters locked themselves inside the university in Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region at midday on Monday.

Hasél was sent to prison, where he's set to serve a nine-month sentence for insulting the monarchy and glorifying terrorism.

(Image credit: AP)