Football Trouble
Spanish police have been accused of heavy-handed treatment of Celtic fans who have traveled to Valencia to watch their team’s Europa League second-leg match this evening.
Thousands of supporters have jetted to Spain without tickets.
The Valencia Football Club closed it’s ticket office this morning as some fans were said to be trying to buy tickets using Irish Passports.
The Spanish government’s Anti-Violence Commission announced earlier this month they have deemed the game a ‘high-risk encounter.’
A popular Rangers’ bar in Benidorm – the Golden Last pub – was set on fire in the early hours of yesterday morning in an attack blamed on arsonists
Regulars at the pub said flags outside were set alight but the inside area was undamaged.
Some videos appeared to show police being heavy-handed with their batons in Valencia last night .. although another showed officers reacting after having bottles thrown at them from the inside of a bar.
Catalonia General Strike
Strikers in Catalonia are blocking major highways, train tracks and roads across the region.
Today’s general strike has been organized by unions of pro-independence workers and students.
On paper, they are demanding improved social policies including a 35-hour work week and a higher minimum wage but the protests are being fueled by outrage at Spain for putting on trial a dozen separatists who pushed for Catalan independence in 2017.
Catalonia’s transit authorities say the disruptions are affecting main thoroughfares in Barcelona and half a dozen major highways and railway tracks elsewhere in Catalonia. Protesters burned tires at one of the highways.
In Barcelona, students and the pro-secession group ANC are holding separate marches later.
Migration
Spain and Morocco have reached an agreement on an unprecedented strategy to contain irregular immigration. Under the deal, Spain’s sea rescue services will be allowed to take some of the rescued migrants back to Moroccan ports.
The measure will apply to migrants found where Spanish rescue services are assisting the Moroccan Coast Guard in their area of responsibility, and when the nearest port is in Morocco.
Until now, all migrants found by Spanish rescue services in waters of the Strait of Gibraltar have been automatically taken to Spanish ports, even if the rescue took place nearer the Moroccan coastline.
General Election
prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, sparred bitterly in parliament with the leaders of his possible coalition partners yesterday .. highlighting the difficulties he will face trying to navigate a path to power after April’s snap election.
In the first parliamentary questions since the April 28 poll was announced last week, Mr Sánchez attacked Albert Rivera, leader of Ciudadanos accusing him of moving his party to the right.
Pollsters have forecast the PSOE socialists will win most votes but will need a better than expected result to lead another coalition with the far-left Podemos and Catalan separatists or form one with Ciudadanos.
Polls point to either a hung parliament or a right wing coalition between Ciudadanos, the PP and Vox.