Amid a wider protest in Catalonia on Thursday, a metro station in Barcelona became the scene of intensive confrontation between pro-independence activists and Spanish police.

Scuffles broke out between the protesters and the law enforcement at the Plaza de Catalunya station. Footage from the scene showed police officers in riot gear confronting activists, trying and failing to evict the crowds from the transport hub. Further clashes occurred on the streets of Barcelona.

In a matter of minutes, protesters overran turnstiles and flooded the station. Many were seen walking along the tracks, effectively stopping traffic there.

Activists, chanting pro-independence slogans and waving Catalan flags, amassed at the station and tried to force riot police out. Scuffles continued outside, with officers wielding batons to disperse the crowd.

Massive unrest continued in other parts of the city, leaving several officers injured in the clashes. Protesters in Barcelona threw rocks at police lines and burned tires on some highways.

Local transportation authorities said the pro-independence rallies disrupted traffic on Barcelona’s major thoroughfares and affected numerous train lines in Catalonia.

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Direct action events like the occupation of the station is part of a larger campaign by supporters of Catalan independence, which is taking place as leaders of the province are being tried in a Spanish court. The 12 defendants are accused of various crimes, including sedition and rebellion, for organizing an independence referendum in 2017 contrary to the orders of the central government in Madrid.

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