Spanish government readies measures amid Catalonia violence

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain's government said Wednesday it would do whatever it takes to stamp out violence in Catalonia, where clashes between regional independence supporters and police have injured more than 200 people in two days.

"Everything is prepared and (the government) will act, if needed, with firmness, proportionality and unity," a government statement said.

It said caretaker prime minister Pedro Sánchez was meeting with other national political leaders and "he doesn't rule out any scenario."

Many people in Catalonia have long fought for it to break away from Spain and become a new European country. Demonstrations have traditionally been peaceful, but not always.

Violent clashes erupted in Barcelona and other Catalan towns after Spain's Supreme Court on Monday handed nine separatist Catalan leaders lengthy prison sentences for their part in an October 2017 effort to achieve independence.

Rioting broke out Tuesday evening, when Barcelona police said 40,000 protesters packed the streets near the office of Spain's government representative.

Protesters turned over metal barriers, set fire to trash cans and threw firecrackers and other objects at police. The outnumbered police used foam bullets, batons and shields to battle the groups amid tense standoffs on Barcelona's streets.

Pere Ferrer, director of Catalonia's regional police, said the street violence was "intolerable."

"The situation is very, very difficult, but the police have the means they need to deal with it," he told a Barcelona news conference.

An organization representing downtown Barcelona businesses, called Barcelona Abierta, said the violence in the city had caused "significant losses" and "deeply damaged" the image abroad of the popular tourist destination.

The tumult prompted Sánchez,...