The imprisonment of a rap artist for his music praising terrorist violence and insulting the Spanish monarchy has set off a powder keg of pent-up rage in the southern European country. The arrest of Pablo Hasél last week has brought thousands to the streets for different reasons. Under the banner of freedom of expression, many Spaniards strongly object to putting an artist behind bars for his lyrics and tweets. As well as shouting its support for Hasél, a crowd that gathered in Madrid on Saturday chanted: "Where is the change? Catalan artist Blackblock paints Spain's King Felipe VI, while holding his picture, next to pictures of former king Juan Carlos and the late dictator Francisco Franco in Barcelona.

Source: CBC News February 22, 2021 16:36 UTC