MADRID (AP) – Riots broke out in many Spanish cities this week during protests over freedom of expression in prison by a rapper little known for insulting the Spanish monarchy and praising terrorism.
But the issue has become a hot potato for the country’s coalition government, with the far-left minor partner demanding the rapper’s pardon, while criticizing police for alleged brutality.
WHO IS PABLO HASEL?
Until a few weeks ago, Hasél, 32, was not a household name in Spain. An anti-establishment rapper with sour tongues, some consider him a poet and others punk.
A supporter of the secession of Catalonia from Spain, he has had several problems with the law, which earned him more than one sentence, although he had not yet been imprisoned. In addition to his tweets and letters, he has also been charged with assault, obstruction of justice, rape and entry.
But he recently relapsed with a song and tweets insulting former King Juan Carlos I and praising terrorist groups, pushing authorities to demand his arrest and placing him in prison in his hometown of Lleida, northeast Catalan, to serve a nine-month sentence.
RADICAL LYRICS
Hasel has wrapped many feathers and harassed authorities over the past decade. In insults to the monarchy, he described the former king as “a mobster who looted the Spanish kingdom.”
In tweets, he referred to a deceased member of the defunct Basque armed terrorist group ETA as “exterminated by the torturing state.” In other compositions, he praised other terrorist groups and defended the bombings on Spanish state television and Basque socialist politician Patxi López.
Although some saw it as an exercise of their right to free speech, the law held the opposite.
THE PROTESTS
Hasel had warned that he would not surrender voluntarily to fulfill his mandate. Last Monday he was greeted by supporters of a university in Lleida for 24 hours before the police removed him, without masks and angrily shouting slogans at supporters.
The protests, peaceful at first, arose in several Catalan cities, including Barcelona. Hooded protesters began throwing objects at police and setting fire to rubbish to install barricades on the street. Police responded with foam bullets and loads of batons. A young woman lost an eye.
On Tuesday, protests spread across the country with serious riots in Madrid. Wednesday’s protests were getting smaller, but again violent.
AN UNPOPULAR LAW
Under fire is the Public Safety Act, drafted by a previous Conservative government, which many considered designed to reduce anti-government protests and protect the police.
The law has been used against other rappers and tweeters, even puppeteers. Hasél’s case sparked criticism from Amnesty International and prompted a petition from some 200 cultural figures, including film director Pedro Almodóvar and actor Javier Bardem.
The coalition government, perceiving the growing pressure, promised to amend the penal code to eliminate prison sentences for crimes involving freedom of expression.
IMMEDIATE FINAL HEAD IN SIGHT
With the call for more protests, the Spanish government and police forces have the task of calming the situation on the street and alleviating the political debate.
The government of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has defended the police and criticized the violence, but must contain the split with its far-left coalition partner. United We Can’s avoidance of publicly condemning the violence has fueled opposition to demand the expulsion of its government leader, which could overthrow the coalition and lead to new national elections.