Spanish PM under pressure over Catalan protests

Ahead of next month's general election, Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez faced sharp criticism Sunday for his handling of violent Catalan separatist protests even as calm returned to Barcelona and other cities.

Hundreds of people packed a square in front of Catalonia's regional government headquarters in Barcelona for a rally by the centre-right party Ciudadanos to demand that order be restored.

They also called on the government in Madrid to defend the rights of Catalans who oppose independence.

Many waved Spanish, Catalan and European Union flags and chanted "Viva Espana!".

Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera repeated a call for Sanchez to suspend Catalonia's autonomy, as Madrid did in 2017 after the Catalan parliament declared independence following a banned referendum.

Rivera also urged Sanchez to get rid of Quim Torra, the head of Catalonia's separatist regional government.

"What is he waiting for?," Rivera asked.

The streets of Barcelona and other Catalan cities have been rocked by protests since Spain's Supreme Court sentenced nine separatist leaders last Monday to jail terms of up to 13 years for sedition over the failed 2017 independence bid.

Demonstrators have set fire to cars and garbage bins and thrown rocks at police who have responded by using their batons and firing rubber bullets.

Another protest was scheduled for 6:00 pm (1600 GMT) outside of the central government's office in Barcelona.

Nearly 600 people have been injured in clashes with police since the protests started. A police officer was in very serious condition and a demonstrator was in critical condition according to Barcelona mayor Ada Colau.

"Separatists are savages...the government must act because what is happening is a disgrace," retiree Roberto Salas told AFP at the Ciudadanos rally.

Speaking at a party meeting in Toledo, central Spain, the head of the main conservative opposition Popular Party (PP), Pablo Casado, said Spain needed "a real government, a government that leads."