Barcelona: New clashes between police and protesters VIDEO/PHOTO

BARCELONA -- Protesters and police clash tonight in Barcelona, the third day of protests over verdicts against Catalan separatist leaders, Reuters reported

Barcelona: New clashes between police and protesters VIDEO/PHOTO

BARCELONA -- Protesters and police clash tonight in Barcelona, the third day of protests over verdicts against Catalan separatist leaders, Reuters reported

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Foto: EPA-EFE/ TONI ALBIR

The riot police charged at protesters and fired foam projectiles, while protesters threw cans, stones and flares at riot police, and set garbage containers and cardboard on fire, near the Department of home affairs of the regional government in the capital of Catalonia.

The fire has blocked at least four streets.

Earlier in the evening, the protesters were throwing toilet paper in the air, as the organizers said "there is much that needs to be cleaned up".

Protestors from several cities in Catalonia today embarked on a protest march with the aim of arriving in Barcelona by Friday.

This was the third day of protests that commenced on Monday, after the Supreme Court in Madrid sentenced nine separatist leaders to nine to 13 years in jail over their role in a failed attempt to declare independence from Spain in 2017.

The three remaining defendants were found guilty only of disobedience, evading prison sentences.

Former Deputy Prime Minister of Catalan Government, Oriol Junqueras, who was given the longest sentence of 13 years for his role in organizing the 2017 referendum which was ruled illegal, told Reuters in his first interview after the sentence that it would only galvanize the independence movement.