More than 50 people detained in Catalonia unrest in last 24 hours: Authorities

More than 50 people were detained in the last 24 hours across the Catalonia autonomous region of Spain as the general strike grew into public unrest and clashes with police, the local law enforcement said on Saturday.

According to the Catalan autonomous police force, Mossos de Escuadra, a total of 54 people had been detained during Friday and overnight to Saturday, while 18 law enforcement officers had sustained injuries.

The regional medical service said that in Barcelona alone 102 people had received medical assistance, while 50 were transferred to a hospital.

The general strike in Catalonia began on Friday and promptly grew into public unrest, with the epicentre in the Catalan capital city Barcelona. Protesters blocked roads, ripped off the street signs, broke the windows of nearby stores and eventually clashed with law enforcement near the National Police building.

They threw bricks, bottles, crackers and other objects at the police and burned carton boxes. Police had to fire rubber bullets and tear gas to constrain them. When protesters set several barricades on fire, police had to use water cannons.

Catalonia has been affected by public unrest since Monday. Mass demonstrations came about following the ruling of the Spanish Supreme Court to sentence nine Catalan politicians, involved in organising the 2017 independence referendum, to 9-13 years in prison on sedition charges and other three to fines over disobedience. Later that day, the court issued European and international arrest warrants for former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont.