They fear the escalation of protests in Catalonia and Spain evaluate the measures of containment

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Wednesday urgent meetings with opposition for riots in Barcelona, ​​which marked a radicalization of demonstrations in Catalonia after the condemnation of independent leaders.

The third day of demonstrations against penalties up to 13 years of the prison imposed on nine separatists for the secession attempt in 2017, the mobilization continued with demonstrations organized in five Catalan cities to converge on Friday in the regional capital. That day, there will be a general strike and a mass demonstration.

In Barcelona, 40,000 people participated in the demonstration before the riots broke out, with hundreds of people, many of whom have their faces covered, who threw objects on the police. There was also clashes in Girona, Tarragona or Lleida.

On Monday, the first altercations with the police took place when 10,000 people blocked Barcelona's airport.

"Demonstration of strength"

After condemning Tuesday night the "widespread" and apparently coordinated violence in Barcelona and other Catalan cities, the government of socialist Pedro Sánchez announced meetings with leaders of the right, center right and radical left .

According to sources from the executive, the president does not exclude "no scenario" of action in Catalonia, although always "by firmness, proportionality and unity".

The goal is "to convey to them the government's determination to guarantee security, with firmness, proportionality and unity", Sánchez tweeted.

According to the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, 51 people were arrested during the violent events, 29 in Barcelona.

While new reductions in routes and railways have been recorded, five Catalan cities have left "march for freedom", to arrive in Barcelona Friday after having traveled 100 kilometers.

"This is a great show of strength. The question is not to stop, "he told the AFP Jordi Soler, a 25-year-old doctoral student, left Girona. "It's very peaceful and very good," although "sometimes you have to be more direct," he said.

"Way of no return"

Originally from the frustration of two years of failed secession attempt which left the separatists perfectly clear, the violent events testify to a radicalization of part of the independence movement, which boasted of being until then peaceful.

"A road of no return has begun", the Committees of defense of the Republic (CDR), self-organized groups of protest.

"Do not fall into the trap of those who they want to demobilize us with the false argument of violence ", they said and urged the government of regional independence to "break with the Spanish state".

A graffiti of "Treacherous Torra" It could be seen in Barcelona, ​​in reference to regional president Quim Torra, showing the distance between the most radical militants and the Catalan government.

"We are not giving them what they are looking for," said the Catalan government's number two, Pere Aragonés, warning that the violence could give rise to a possibility of regional autonomy, as was already the case. after the failed secession of 2017.

The Catalan government, which does not doubt encourage mobilization Before the Supreme Court's decision, he had asked "to isolate people with violent behavior".

The right, which crosses Pedro Sánchez several times weak before the Catalan separatists, who contributed to his accession to power in June 2018, asks extraordinary measures.

"Given the violent unrest that is escalating the tension in Catalonia, Sanchez must activate the law on national security", which would place the security powers under the sole command of the state, tweeted the president of the conservative People's Party , Pablo Casado.