Spanish King's photos burned in Barcelona protest

On Thursday evening, the day before King Felipe VI's visit to Barcelona, Catalan independence supporters burnt pictures of the Spanish head of state in a public square.

Until not long ago burning photos of the monarch could result in a prison sentence in Spain.

That changed after the European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2018 that the act should be protected by freedom of expression and this was a very public rejection of the monarch whose father was recently involved in a financial scandal.

Support for the Spanish monarchy has dwindled after former King Juan Carlos left the country in August, after becoming the target of official investigations in Spain and Switzerland into possible financial wrongdoing.

King Felipe VI's visit to Barcelona Friday together with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez comes after the monarch was forced to postpone a previous visit due to security concerns after tensions rose between Catalan separatists and Madrid.

"Tomorrow a man who claims to be the King of Spain is coming," said Elisenda Albajes, a Catalan independence supporter. "But it just happens that in Catalonia we don't have a King."