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Spain Catalonia: Mass protests after Germany detains Puigdemont
![Thousands protest in Barcelona after ex-Catalan leader Puigdemont arrest]()
They chanted "Puigdemont our president" and "Freedom for the political prisoners" Thousands protest in Barcelona after ex-Catalan leader Puigdemont arrest
Protests have broken out across Catalonia as former leader Carles Puigdemont spends the night in a German prison.
Mr Puigdemont, who is wanted in Spain for sedition and rebellion, was detained by German police acting on a European arrest warrant.
Thousands of his supporters have turned out in Barcelona and other nearby cities to protest his arrest.
Mr Puigdemont will appear before a German judge on Monday.
He was detained while crossing from Denmark on his way to Belgium, where he has been living in self-imposed exile since Catalonia's parliament unilaterally declared independence from Spain in October.
A European warrant for his arrest was reissued on Friday.
Who is protesting?
In central Barcelona, protesters chanted "Freedom for the political prisoners" and "This Europe is shameful!" as they headed to the offices of the European Commission and the German consulate.
Spanish news agency Efe estimated crowds of 55,000 in the centre of the city.
