Young people draped in Catalan flags congregated peacefully, tossing balls and skipping rope. Later the mood turned ugly, with protesters setting fire to cafe chairs on the fashionable Rambla de Catalunya street at the heart of the tourist district.
The protests came after the Spanish Supreme Court detained five Catalan separatist leaders, including Catalan presidential candidate Jordi Turull. In total 25 people, the core of the movement, have been indicted over last year's independence drive.