Catalan police on alert to keep opposing protests apart

Thousands of pro-independence people took to the streets of Barcelona on Saturday to oppose a march by Spanish police unions that wanted to honor officers that took part in last year's referendum crackdown.

Catalan police officers, the Mossos d'Esquadra, were trying to avoid the opposing groups from coming face-to-face.

There were some tense moments around Via Laietana, right in the city center of the Catalan capital, as the Mossos tried to keep the pro-independence groups away from the Spanish agents.

Protesters threw holi paint to the Catalan police officers, that later reacted by pushing them away. There were moments of tension, with agents violently hitting people with their batons. Protesters later chanted messages against the Catalan police and urged the minister of Home Affairs, Miquel Buch, to resign.

Although there is tension in the frontline of the pro-independence march, the atmosphere is calm and festive at Plaça Sant Jaume, where around 3,000 people are protesting the Spanish police presence in the city.

A helicopter is flying above the city center of Barcelona, where the two opposed protests are currently underway.

More than 1,000 people were injured in last year police operation to stop the October 1 independence referendum.

Images of police officers hitting voters caused world-wide outrage, with NGOs such as Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch urging for an independent investigation and describing the use of violence "excessive" and "disproportionate".

Two days before the anniversary of that referendum, Spanish police unions are protesting in the streets of Barcelona to honor the officers that took part on the operation to stop the vote and to ask for better pay conditions.

Only streets away, pro-independence groups insist the police presence in Barcelona is "unacceptable" and a "provocation" considering the upcoming referendum anniversary.

On Saturday, Catalan police officers were trying to avoid the opposing groups from coming face-to-face.