Europe

Police in Spain clash with those protesting far-right party

Associated Press
Published | Updated

A female basque pro independence demonstrator is detained by riot policeman as Santiago Abascal, leader of Spanish far right party Vox, holds a meeting during a General Election campaign, in Bilbao, northern Spain, Saturday, April 13, 2019. Spain's political parties are set to launch two-week campaigns leading up to an April 28 election. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)

A basque pro independence demonstrator is detained by riot policeman as Santiago Abascal, leader of Spanish far right party Vox, holds a meeting during a General Election campaign, in Bilbao, northern Spain, Saturday, April 13, 2019. Spain's political parties are set to launch two-week campaigns leading up to an April 28 election. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)

Police in Spain's northern city of Bilbao have clashed with hundreds of protesters outside a rally by a far-right party that is running in Spain's general election this month.

The private news agency Europa Press says two people were arrested Saturday by the regional Basque Country police.

Protesters threw bricks and other objects at police, who used batons and shields to clear the street outside a congress center where Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right, anti-migrant Vox party, was holding a rally.

Vox is trying to win its first seats in the national parliament in Spain's April 28 election.

Vox is promising to crack down on unauthorized immigration and to recentralize the state, taking away powers from regions like the Basque Country.