Incidents during the general strike demonstration forced the Mossos d'Esquadra to charge in Plaça de Catalunya and caused damage to shops in central Barcelona.
The disturbances began when the general strike demonstration reached the vicinity of the Plaça de Catalunya. Some protesters threw fireworks at the Mossos d'Esquadra officers, who responded with the first charges. Until that moment, the day had passed without notable incidents.
The clashes extended to the intersection of Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes and Rambla de Catalunya. There, a section of the protest lit a bonfire in the middle of the road, as part of the demonstration on this wednesday.
The damage also affected several shops in the area. In a Geox store, a group of the more agitated protesters threw objects at the window, including an electric bicycle that ended up breaking it. In the Lego store on Paseo de Gràcia, several boxes ended up scattered on the floor.
Many local businesses had already taken precautions before the incidents. In Portal del Ángel and on Paseo de Gràcia, some shops opted to close, while others, including luxury brands, continued operations with restrictions and increased security. Several establishments left their entrances ajar, ready to lower the shutters depending on how the protest evolved.
Anyone moving through the centre this afternoon will find the area around Plaça de Catalunya and Gran Via to be the most tense.
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