Clashes in Barcelona against the arrest of Carles Puigdemont. ALBERT GARCIA

Protests against the detention of former Catalan premier Carles Puigdemont turned violent on Sunday night with nearly 100 people injured in the clashes. According to the Catalan Medical Emergency services (SEM), 98 people required medical attention – the majority in the protest in Barcelona outside the headquarters of the Catalan regional government.

SEM said that 90 people in Barcelona were hurt, including 22 members of the regional police force the Mossos d’Esquadra. Seven people in Lleida were also injured, and one in Tarragona. All were minor injuries.

Mass protests took place in the Catalan capital following the arrest of Puigdemont in Germany. The Mossos d’Esquadra dispersed the crowds in Barcelona at 10pm after more than four hours of heated demonstrations. Protesters set fire to garbage containers, threw glass bottles and tried to block the passage of police vehicles. Nine people were arrested.

The protests were called by the Committees to Defend the Republic (CDR), grassroots groups with ties to the separatist movement.