Clashes between protesting Catalan independence and law enforcement officials are taking place near Barcelona El Prat Airport, Spanish media have reported from the scene.
Several thousand people blocked access to terminal 1 of the airport, several dozen more people staged a sit-in inside the building. The protesters blocked the road to the airport, for some time the movement of trains and the metro to the airport was stopped, but then resumed. At the moment, about 20 flights have been delayed – the crews could not get to the landing on time.
Daytime clashes took place inside the building.
Around 17.30 local time (18.30 Moscow time), local media located at the scene reported that new clashes had begun near the airport building. Police, according to Periodico, have denied that noisy grenades or tear gas were used against the protesters. Several people are detained.
The protesters also tried to block the road to the air traffic control center in the municipality of Gava (Barcelona province), which serves El Prat Airport, but the police blocked their way.
After the Supreme Court sentenced the Catalan politicians in connection with the illegal referendum on independence in 2017, mass protests began in Catalonia.
On Monday, the Supreme Court of Spain sentenced 12 politicians involved in the illegal referendum on independence and the further declaration of independence by the regional parliament in 2017. Nine politicians were found guilty of rebellion; they were sentenced to terms from 9 to 13 years in prison.
Three more – in disobedience and sentenced to a fine. After the verdict was announced in Catalonia, mass protests began: rallies were held, radicals blocked roads and rail links, clashes between protesters and law enforcement forces took place at Barcelona airport.
In addition, on Monday, Supreme Court Judge Pablo Llarena issued European and international arrest warrants for the former head of the Catalan general, Carles Puigdemon, who is hiding from Spanish justice in Belgium.