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The story of Saturday night's protests in Catalonia - on the sixth day of demonstrations since last Monday's court verdicts - was largely one of contained tension between police and protesters in Barcelona. More than 6 hours of a peaceful demonstrator sit-in at Plaça Urquinaona - the scene of many of the previous night's violent episodes - ended with the Spanish police packing up and leaving, despite some late-night tension, including fires and incidents.

However, it wasn't yet over, as some smaller groups then began starting fires and building barriers at the top of the nearby Rambla, leading to a Mossos police advance down the famous Barcelona street, shooting projectiles from their crowd-control guns.

Thirteen arrests were made by police during the Saturday night clashes - many fewer than the previous night. The last two arrested were on the Rambla.

Small groups of radicals kept police on the move, leading them to the Rambla, and into streets of the adjoining Ciutat Vella neighbourhoods. Alerted by a fire near the Canaletes fountain, the Mossos riot police fired foam projectiles and at first entered the Rambla on foot. A complicated area to manoeuvre in with vans.

The riot police ended up bringing their paddywagons down the central pedestrian boulevard of the Rambla, gaining ground on the hooded groups who had disappeared into the narrow streets of the Raval.

raval el nacional sergi alcazar

Earlier, the night had begun with 6,000 protesters seated in Plaça Urquinanona. There was containment of tensions both by police and within the mass of protesters at Plaça Urquinaona, but in the end barricades and fires were set, and police took action. There were police lines in the streets of Ronda San Pere and Carrer Pau Claris where foam projectiles were fired.

Most of the night was a stand-off between the peaceful demonstrators, for much of the time seated, and police. The protesters managed to avoid major police charges, with groups within the protest dedicating themselves to controlling the frontline facing police, ensuring that possible violent elements were kept back, and insulting anyone who threw things. 

At 11pm, after more than six hours of siege, the Spanish National police decided to leave Via Laietana. And with the withdrawal, chants of victory.

On Saturday night, the main barricades were on the streets of Ausiàs March and Pau Claris.

On the front line, tension and some provocateurs.

In the distance, fireworks being thrown and smoke rising at a first barricade on Ausias March. The Mossos police kept the area mostly empty.

As well, a pro-Spain unionist raised the ire of the crowd, with some people trying to put up with the provocations and others working to avoid incidents. However, at this point more and more objects were being thrown. As many as six warnings were given by the police of imminent action, and an arrest was made.

The unionist speechmaker ended up making statements to the press and giving his version of the events, explaining that the protesters were violent.