MADRID (AP) – Riots broke out in many Spanish cities this week during protests for freedom of expression against the arrest of a rapper little known for insulting the Spanish monarchy and praising terrorism.
But the issue has now become a hot potato for the country’s coalition government, with the far-left junior partner demanding that the rapper be pardoned – while criticizing the police for alleged brutality.
WHO IS PABLO HASÉL?
Until a few weeks ago, Hasél, 32, was not a household name in Spain. An acid-speaking and anti-establishment rapper, he is considered a poet by some and punk by others.
Supporter of the secession of Catalonia from Spain, he had several problems with the law, which earned him more than one sentence, although he had not yet been arrested. In addition to his tweets and lyrics, he was also charged with assault, obstruction of justice and home invasion.
But he recently reoccurred with music and tweets insulting ex-king Juan Carlos I and praising terrorist groups, lobbying authorities to seek his prison and put him in prison in his hometown of Lleida, in northeastern Catalonia, to serve a sentence. nine-month sentence.
RADICAL LYRICS
Hasel has angered many sentences and angered officials in the past decade. In insults to the monarchy, he described the former king as “a mafia mobster, plundering the Spanish kingdom”.
In tweets, he referred to a late member of the extinct armed Basque terrorist group ETA as being “exterminated by the torturing state”. In other compositions, he praised other terrorist groups and defended bomb attacks on Spanish state TV and Basque socialist politician Patxi López.
While some considered this the exercise of their right to freedom of expression, the law took a different view.
THE PROTESTS
Hasel had warned that he would not voluntarily surrender to fulfill his mandate. He hid with supporters at a university in Lleida last Monday for 24 hours before the police took him away – without a mask and furiously shouting slogans at supporters.
Initially peaceful protests erupted in several Catalan cities, including Barcelona. Hooded protesters started throwing objects at the police and setting trash containers on fire to set up barricades on the streets. The police responded with foam bullets and batons. A young woman lost an eye.
On Tuesday, protests spread across the country with serious unrest in Madrid. Wednesday’s protests were minor and minor, but again violent.
A NON-POPULAR LAW
Under fire is the Public Security Act, drafted by a previous conservative government, which many considered to be designed to contain anti-government protests and protect the police.
The law was used against other rappers and tweeters – even puppeteers. Hasél’s case sparked criticism from Amnesty International and prompted a petition for some 200 cultural figures, including film director Pedro Almodóvar and actor Javier Bardem.
The coalition government, feeling the growing pressure, promised to amend the penal code to eliminate prison sentences for crimes involving freedom of expression.
WITHOUT IMMEDIATE END IN SIGHT
With more protests being called, the Spanish government and police forces are tasked with calming the situation on the streets and facilitating political debate.
The government of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended the police and cracked down on violence, but he must contain the split with his far-left coalition partner. The fact that United We Can avoid publicly condemning the violence fueled the opposition’s calls for the expulsion of its leader from the government, which could topple the coalition and trigger new national elections.