Spain's prime minister on Saturday condemned a series of violent protests in cities across the country against restrictions imposed to curb the surge of COVID-19 after a six-month state of emergency came into effect this week. Riot police shot blank bullets to try to disperse scores of protesters who were setting fire to rubbish bins in Madrid's main thoroughfare Gran Via. Meanwhile, demonstrators pelted police with rocks and other projectiles in Barcelona in a second night of disturbances in Spain's second-largest city.