Chaos in Madrid: Thousands of protesters clash with police at Socialist Party HQ

Violence has erupted between police and thousands of protesters during the fourth consecutive night of demonstrations outside the Spanish Socialist Party’s headquarters in Madrid. On Thursday night, footage captured protesters throwing bottles, beer cans, and fireworks at a police cordon protecting the headquarters. Police used batons, tear gas, and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd as tensions rose. The protests were triggered by the Socialist Party’s deal with a Catalan separatist party, granting amnesty for those involved in a failed secession bid. In exchange, the separatist party supports acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s bid to form a new government. Earlier on Thursday, the founder of far-right Vox and former leader of the conservative Popular Party (PP) in Catalonia, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, was shot in the head in Madrid. Mr Vidal-Quadras is reported to be in stable condition after his assailant allegedly fled on a motorbike. Vox, central to anti-amnesty protests, may see increased participation from its supporters in response to the incident The protests are anticipated to continue through to at least late November.