Police baton charges, arrests, at Barcelona protets

(21 Dec 2018) Thousands of pro-independence protesters angry about Spain's Cabinet holding a meeting in Catalonia blocked roads across the region Friday and clashed with anti-riot police in its capital.
The Mossos d'Esquadra regional police said that seven people have been arrested for clashes with anti-riot agents or disturbing public order.
The police force said in a tweet that one of the protesters was found with material to make Molotov cocktails, which create small explosions.
Footage shot by the Associated Press showed police making baton charges and having projectiles thrown at them by protesters.
Emergency services say those clashes left 51 people injured, including 30 police officers.
Grassroots separatist groups and unions called the protests to show their disgust at Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's decision to lead his weekly Cabinet meeting in Barcelona.
The Catalan regional government, formed by a coalition of pro-secession parties, is also supporting peaceful protests despite an agreement with central authorities to find a way out of the political crisis that has festered since Catalonia's failed secession attempt last year.

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