Barcelona:Riots and clashes with police erupted in Barcelona during a youth protest organized via social media, just hours before the highly anticipated “El Clasico” match.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the protest began at Plaza Catalunya and escalated into confrontations with the Catalonia police, known as “Mossos d’Esquadra,” who intervened to disperse the demonstrators. The unrest resulted in vandalism affecting public property, several shops, and vehicles.

The disturbances led to the closure of some stores and measures to restrict access to the area around Plaza Catalunya. There was a heavy police presence, with authorities urging the public to avoid the affected areas. These developments precede the El Clasico match, which is set to take place at Spotify Camp Nou and draws significant attention from football fans worldwide, making security measures and crowd control major concerns ahead of the game.