Spain: Peaceful protests for jailed rapper see more clashes

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A fifth night of peaceful protests to denounce the imprisonment of a Spanish rap artist once more devolved into clashes between police and fringe group members who set up street barricades and smashed storefront windows in Barcelona. Small groups made up mostly of young people damaged stores on Barcelona’s main shopping street on Saturday night and then threw stones after police in riot gear poured out of vans to engage them. Hundreds of protesters also gathered peacefully in Madrid. Around 80 people have been arrested and more than 100 people injured since rapper Pablo Hasél was taken away Tuesday to begin serving a 9-month prison sentence for insulting the Spanish monarchy and praising terrorist violence in his music.