Violence broke out on Spain’s national day this afternoon, with dozens of people clashing on the streets of Barcelona during a march protesting Catalan independence.
Footage shows thugs grabbing chairs, tables and bottles from an outdoor seating area on Barcelona’s popular Plaza Catalunya, and using them as weapons.
The incident took place on the fringes of a demonstration in the main Catalan city on Thursday.
All out war: A small group of protesters holding Spanish and Catalan flags clash on the fringes of a demonstration in Barcelona
Thugs: The men can be seen picking up chairs from an outdoor seating area of a restaurant, and using them as weapons
An officer was injured when local police intervened to separate them, Barcelona’s urban guard said.
It was unclear what sparked the violence or who was involved, but the main demonstration, led by several activist groups opposing Catalan independence, was not disrupted.
The demonstration saw far-right activists protesting the bid for independence, and burning the region’s flag as they marched through the streets of Barcelona.
There were also reports of fights as protesters let off flares and threw chairs at each other before local police separated them.
Spain’s is gripped by its most serious political crisis for decades after Catalonia held an illegal independence referendum on 1 October.
Big fight: The footage shows chairs flying through the air as local police try to intervene
Attacks: An officer was injured when local police intervened to separate the fighters
Demonstrators from Spanish far right groups watch on after burning a Catalan flag after marching from Plaza Espanya
There were also reports of fights as protesters let off flares and threw chairs at each other before local police separated them
It comes after Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy dismissed Catalan’s independence bid as a ‘fairy tale’ and warned it would not be recognised by Europe.
Yesterday he rejected talks to resolve the crisis and told parliament: ‘There is no mediation possible between democratic law and disobedience, illegality.
Catalonia’s separatist leaders on Tuesday signed an independence declaration but said they were suspending it in the hope Madrid would negotiate.
Rajoy hit back, calling Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont’s autonomy plan a ‘fairy tale’ and giving him until October 16 to confirm whether or not he has declared independence.
Today protesters demonstrating against Catalan independence burnt the region’s flag as they marched through the streets of Barcelona
Protesters hold flares and burn ‘Esteladas’ Catalan pro-independence flags during an ultra-right wing anti-separatist demonstration
A man performs the fascist salute during an ultra-right wing anti-separatist demonstration for the unity of Spain called by Falange Espanola
Demonstrators from Spanish far right groups chant slogans after marching from Plaza Espana in Barcelona
Protesters wave Spanish pre-constitutional flags as they march during an ultra-right wing anti-separatist demonstration
Catalan police watch on as demonstrators from Spanish far right groups march from Plaza Espanya square
Rajoy added: ‘It is not peaceful, it is not free, it will not be recognised by Europe and now everyone knows it will have costs,’ he added.
He was referring to several big companies which have moved their headquarters outside of Catalonia in recent days.
Puigdemont has repeatedly called for mediation since he pushed ahead on October 1 with an independence referendum in Catalonia that was deemed illegal by Madrid and the Spanish courts.
Earlier on Wednesday he proposed during an interview with CNN that a mediator be named to settle the crisis.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (pictured yesterday) demanded that the Catalan President clarify whether or not he has declared independence
Tuesday: Catalan regional President Carles Puigdemont signs an independence declaration document after a parliamentary session in Barcelona
‘Maybe, it could help (us) to talk if two people representing the Spanish government and two people representing the Catalan government just simply agree on one thing, for instance, naming a mediator,’ he said.
Puigdemont announced in the regional parliament Tuesday that he had accepted the mandate for ‘Catalonia to become an independent state’ following the contested referendum.
Earlier today, a Spanish fighter jet pilot died when he crashed his plane into the ground while returning from a national day parade.
Borja Aybar lost control of his Eurofighter and crashed before he was able to eject near an airbase in Llanos de Albacete, southern Spain.
A Spanish fighter jet pilot died today when he crashed his plane into the ground while returning from a national day parade
Pictures showed smoke rising from the scene of the crash at at airbase in the south of Spain
Borja Aybar lost control of his Eurofighter and crashed before he was able to eject in Llanos de Albacete, southern Spain
He was returning from flying above crowds in Madrid to celebrate the day explorer Christopher Columbus first arrived in the Americas in 1492.
One unconfirmed local report said his wife and their baby were waiting for him at the airbase he was due to land at and witnessed the crash. There were no other casualties.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the causes of the crash are under investigation.
Catalonia’s bid for independence: The latest
Spain is currently waiting for a response to a government request to Catalonia’s leader to clarify by Monday if he has already declared independence.
If so, Spain warns it may apply Article 155 of its Constitution and begin taking full or partial control of the region.
In Barcelona, Catalonia’s capital, thousands of people waving Spanish and Catalan flags marched to a central square, some with their faces in the red and yellow colours of both the Spanish and Catalan flags and shouting ‘Viva Espana’, or long live Spain.
Thousands of Catalans who want the region to remain in Spain march through Barcelona today as they mark the Dia de la Hispanidad, or Spain’s National Day
Patriotic: Some marchers had their faces in the red and yellow colours of both the Spanish and Catalan flags and shouting ‘Viva Espana’, or long live Spain
The slogan of the march was ‘Catalonia yes. Spain, too’, supporting autonomy for Catalonia, but within Spain as a whole.
The protesters booed when passing groups of regional police, who are seen by the unionists as having done too little to stop separatist efforts to stage an independence referendum on October 1.
Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont announced on Tuesday that he was using the claimed victory in the banned referendum to proceed with a declaration of Catalan independence.
However, he proposed freezing its implementation for a few weeks to allow for dialogue and mediation with the national government in Madrid.