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Police in Spain made dozens of arrests during clashes with protesters for the second night in a row as protesters took to the streets to denounce the new coronavirus restrictions.
In some cities, looting and vandalism occurred on the sidelines of protests.
The biggest riots occurred in Madrid, where dozens of protesters chanted “freedom!” They set fire to garbage containers and set up makeshift barricades on the city’s main thoroughfare, Gran Vía, images showed on social media.
When the police moved to clear the meeting, they were thrown with rocks and flares.
Twelve people, including three policemen, were slightly injured in the clashes, emergency services said. Police said they arrested 32 people.
In Logroño, capital of the northern wine region of La Rioja, a small group of people burned garbage cans and broke shop windows.
The problem erupted after a peaceful protest against the closure of restaurants and bars in the region as part of the growing restriction of the virus in Spain.
The president of the government, Pedro Sánchez, condemned the riots. “The violent and irrational behavior of minority groups is intolerable. It is not like that,” he tweeted.
“Only from responsibility, unity and sacrifice can we defeat the pandemic that is devastating all countries.”
At least 20 police officers were injured Friday night in clashes with protesters in central Barcelona and 12 were arrested.
Spain imposed a nationwide overnight curfew last week to try to stop the rise in Covid-19 infections and almost all regions of Spain have imposed regional border closures to prevent long-distance travel.
Despite the numerous restrictions imposed in Spain since July, when the number of cases began to rise again, infections have skyrocketed. The virus has killed more than 35,000 people in Spain and infected more than 1.1 million.
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South Korea to expand mandatory mask policy
South Korea has said it will expand its mandatory mask policy to spas, wedding halls and other venues as part of new social distancing rules aimed at preparing for a prolonged outbreak of Covid-19.
While South Korea has managed to contain the spread of the virus better than many Western nations, which are battling a resurgent virus, daily new cases in the country have risen above 100 in recent days.
The Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 124 new cases as of midnight last night, marking a fifth consecutive day of infections exceeding 100 due to small clusters appearing in places like spas, schools and churches.
Currently, the use of masks is mandatory for 12 classes of “high risk” places, such as clubs, karaoke bars and Internet cafes.
Starting November 7, these restrictions will be extended to 23 types of venues, including department stores, theme parks and hair salons.
People caught for not wearing masks at those venues face fines of up to 100,000 won (75 euros) as of November 13, while operators at those venues face fines of up to 3 million won.
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