Clashes at Barcelona protest in support of rapper

Clashes erupted for a second night in a row in Barcelona on Wednesday at demonstrations against the arrest of rap artist Pablo Hasél. Some protesters threw objects at officers, set fires, overturned motorbikes to block streets, and smashed shop windows in the demonstrations. Hasél barricaded himself in a university building earlier this week to avoid his arrest in a case centering on free speech. After a 24-hour standoff, police detained him early Tuesday.

He was taken to prison to serve a 9-month sentence for insulting the monarchy and glorifying terrorism in a song about former King Juan Carlos I and in 64 tweets several years ago. Hasél's legal situation has drawn considerable public attention, with performers, celebrities and politicians demanding a change in the law he was convicted of violating. Initial reports said 30 people were arrested Wednesday, with around 20 people injured in the demonstrations.

Eighteen people were arrested on Tuesday after violence broke out in the first protests against the rapper's arrest, principally in Barcelona and other cities in the northeastern Catalonia region. Other demonstrations, some violent, took place in other Spanish cities both Tuesday and Wednesday.

In response to protests over the case, Spain's left-wing coalition government said last week that it planned to change the country's criminal code to eliminate prison terms for offenses involving freedom of expression. Hasél faced previous charges for assault, praising armed extremist groups, breaking into private premises and insulting the monarchy.

(Image Credit: AP)