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The streets of Barcelona are a battlefield for the imprisonment of rapper Pablo Hassel (pics + video)

The rapper was arrested on Tuesday for insulting the Spanish forces of order and monarchy through lyrics

Barcelona streets's battle for rapper Pablo Hassel

Barcelona's main streets were turned into a battlefield yesterday as protesters took to the streets for the fifth night in a row to protest the arrest of Catalan rapper Pablo Hassel.   

The rapper was arrested on Tuesday for insulting the Spanish forces of order and monarchy through lyrics and tweets. His arrest sparked a debate over freedom of expression laws in Spain, and he has become a symbol as he faces up to nine months in prison.         

Protesters threw bottles at police, set up roadblocks and smashed shops in Barcelona, ​​Reuters reported. The agency is talking about about 6.000 people according to the data from the local police which the protesters complain about violence and unjustified arrests.   

According to Reuters, protesters vandalized shops on Barcelona's most famous shopping street, Passeig de Gracia, while the newspaper El Pais reported that they broke windows at the iconic Palau de la Musica concert center. Nine people were arrested in Catalonia, regional police said, noting that three minors were among them and that some were arrested while robbing shops.           

Nine people were injured, two of whom were taken to hospital, police said. While at the same time a demonstration in Madrid was peaceful, in Pamplona there were also clashes between police and protesters.

Earlier, Socialist Party President Christina Narbona condemned the violence. "We reiterate our strongest condemnation of violence that cannot be justified in defense of freedom of expression," he said.   

However, the rapper has not only won the support of his fans, but also representatives of the art world. Oscar-winning actor Javier Bardem is among artists, celebrities and politicians who have called for a change in the law on freedom of expression.