El Clasico: Catalans protest, clash with police at football match in Spain

As the El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid ended in a 0-0 draw at Camp Nou, protesters were involved in violent altercations with the police outside the stadium. According to reports, thousands of people inside Camp Nou were seen holding up banners that demanded the Spanish government to hold dialogues with people wanting Catalan independence.

Politically charged El Clasico

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the stadium, raising slogans such as "Independence" and "Free Political Prisoners", making temporary barricades later cleared by the Spanish police. In addition to this, many protesters wearing masks were charged for setting dustbins on fire. It was also said that 12 people were injured in the clashes between protesters and Spanish police.

Before Zidane's and Valverde's teams clashed in a politically charged El Clasico, a discreet protest group by the name of Democratic Tsunami posted a tweet wherein they said that the group will be handing out 100,000 banners to fan.

According to reports, they also asked people to bring inflatable balls with messages written on them. According to reports, the Catalan protest group has been designated as a criminal organisation by the Spanish authorities. The group is also known for organising a mass demonstration at an airport in the city of Barcelona, blocking a major motorway.

Read: Spain: Migrant Saves Wheelchair-bound Man From Fire, Considered For Residency

Read: This Hotel In Spain Puts Up Christmas Tree Worth Rs 107 Crore

Unrest in Barcelona

In the events that preceded this, violent protests erupted over arrests of Catalonian leaders in Barcelona. The Catalan autonomy crisis flared up on October 15 as police and protesters were engaged in a violent encounter.

The clashes erupted at an airport in Barcelona, which falls in Catalunya. This came after the Spanish Supreme Court imprisoned nine Catalan separatist leaders over their failed efforts for secession in 2017.

Catalonia's former VP, Oriol Junqueras, was indicted for sedition and abuse of public monetary assets and was awarded a jail term of 13 years. He was additionally barred from holding office for the duration of his jail term. Former Catalan Foreign Minister Raül Romeva, Labor Minister Dolors Bassa, and provincial government representative Jordi Turull were each indicted for similar charges and were given a jail term of 12 years.

Read: British Man Returns Ancient Helmets To Spain After Learning They Were Stolen

Read: Spain Police Smash Global Pedophile Ring, Many People Arrested

(With inputs from agencies)