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A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 17 OcTOber 2019
Police, protesters clash in Catalonia for 3rd night

By JOSEPH WILSON measures in Catalonia, de-
Associated Press spite calls by rival parties to
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — crack down on the sepa-
Rioting raged in Barcelona ratist politicians in power in
and several other Catalan the region.
towns for a third straight Sánchez, who is an interim
night Wednesday, with po- prime minister while await-
lice fighting running street ing national elections Nov.
battles with protesters an- 10, consulted with other
gered by lengthy prison national political leaders
sentences for nine lead- in Madrid during the day
ers of the wealthy region's about the trouble in Cata-
drive for independence lonia.
from Spain. The Spanish government
Tens of thousands of pro- will respond with "firmness,
testers faced off against calmness and unity" to the
police in Barcelona. Some confrontations, Sánchez
set up flaming barricades said in a televised address.
in the streets, torching Sánchez blamed "orga-
cars and trash cans. They nized groups of extrem-
chanted, "The streets will al- ists" for the rioting but said
ways be ours!" he wouldn't be drawn into
Catalan police said pro- Police in riot gear chases protestors during clashes in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019. playing their game of an
Associated Press
testers threw gasoline "ascending spiral of vio-
bombs, stones, bottles and has divided families and objects similar to fireworks, the verdict was very bad, lence."
firecrackers at them. friends, but demonstrations according to the regional but I think this (violence) is The protests followed the
Violence erupted in Cat- had largely been peaceful police force. The rare pass- by a minority of the inde- pattern of previous days
alonia after Spain's Su- until this week. ers-by or tourists caught in pendence movement. The as crowds gathered during
preme Court on Monday Outnumbered police the middle of the melees real independence move- the day to block roads and
sentenced nine separatist used riot helmets, vests scurried to safety. Some ment is not like this. These hold marches demanding
Catalan leaders to up to 13 and shields for protec- residents tossed water from people only want to do independence. After sun-
years in prison for their part tion. They fired foam bul- balconies down on burning damage and that's it." set, marches turned ugly.
in an October 2017 effort to lets and swung batons to trash bins and debris while Health services in Catalo- Police also reported clash-
declare independence for keep away the swarming firefighters tried to keep up nia said medics attended es in Girona, a town near
the region. radicals, most of who cov- with the emergencies. to 52 people in the region the French border, and
After a surge in separatist ered their faces. Police also Central Barcelona, a lead- Wednesday. Police said other places. The clashes
sentiment since the global drove armored vans at ing tourist destination late Wednesday that they have injured more than
economic crisis that hit high speeds to scatter the known for its beautiful ar- had arrested "at least 20 250 people, including po-
Spain particularly hard, crowds. chitecture and relaxed at- people" throughout Cata- lice, over the past three
around half of Catalonia's When police succeeded in mosphere, became a no- lonia for violent acts. days. On Monday police
7.5 million residents want dispersing one hot spot, an- go territory. Spanish Prime Minister Pe- skirmished for hours to keep
to break away from Spain other erupted. "(This is) shameful. It doesn't dro Sánchez said the vio- protesters from entering the
and forge a new European One police helicopter was represent me," architect lent clashes wouldn't pro- Barcelona airport and shut-
country. The divisive issue hit by five "pyrotechnic" Gerard Beltri said. "I think voke him into taking drastic ting it down.q

New European Commission delayed,

to take office in December

plemented throughout the the "rapid appointment of fense.
bloc, was initially sched- the new 3 commissioners- Goulard failed to convince
uled to take office Nov. 1, designate." Parliament members who
but European lawmakers The delay will allow France, quizzed her twice about al-
rejected three proposed Romania and Hungary to legations she misused funds
candidates, delaying the finalize their candidates af- and consulted for a U.S.
whole process. ter their initial choices were think tank while she served
European Parliament presi- dismissed. The trio must be in the EU Parliament. Her re-
dent David Sassoli and the vetted before the full com- jection came after the par-
chairmen of the various po- mission can be voted in. liament's legal committee
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gets in to
her car after a meeting with French President lEmmanuel Ma- litical groups met Wednes- In a blow to French Presi- refused to give its approval
cron at the Elysee Palace, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. day and decided not to dent Emmanuel Macron's to Rovana Plumb of Roma-
Associated Press include the vote of investi- ambitions, France's nomi- nia and Laszlo Trocsanyi
ture in the agenda for next nee for the next commis- of Hungary to face official
BRUSSELS (AP) — Ursula on the appointment of her week's plenary session. sion, Sylvie Goulard, was hearings over conflict of in-
von der Leyen will have to team on Wednesday. Parliament spokesman rejected last week. A close terest concerns.
wait a bit longer before she The new European Com- Jaume Duch tweeted that ally of Macron, she had The current commission will
takes over as the next Eu- mission, the powerful exec- lawmakers are now "will- been nominated to take a stay on after November,
ropean Commission presi- utive arm of the European ing to vote on time to allow high-profile position over- handling day-to-day mat-
dent after the European Union which proposes laws new Commission to start seeing Europe's internal ters until the new one takes
Parliament delayed a vote and ensures they are im- 1st December," and ask for market, industry and de- office.q