Spanish judge throws out case against police who blinded a woman during protest about a rapper's imprisonment, saying she 'put herself in danger' and must 'bear the consequences'

A judge in Spain has closed a case against three regional police officers who blinded a young woman after firing projectiles during a protest in 2021. 

The magistrate concluded that the fault lied with the unnamed woman, who was 19 at the time of her injury, for having 'put herself in danger', after attending a protest, stating that she must 'bear the consequences', according to Spanish news outlet ABC, 

The woman was injured during clashes in Barcelona between police and demonstrators in February 2021, who were protesting against the imprisonment of rapper Pablo Hasel.

Catalan human rights group Iridia had stated that the injury was caused by a foam-tipped projectile. 

However, on Thursday Judge Joaquin Aguirre said that in the face of an 'illegal demonstration' which became 'increasingly tense', police officers were 'forced to use, with prior authorisation from the head of the operation, the rubber balls.'

Judge throws out case against a young woman who was injured while protesting against the imprisonment of musician Pablo Hasel, who was convicted in 2018 for glorifying terrorism, slander and libel after he attacked the monarchy and accused police of killing and torturing immigrants in a string of tweets

 'I have spent three years waiting for this judge to give a resolution to my case and the only thing he has done is indirectly blame the victim,' said the woman in an open letter on Thursday. 

She maintained that she was a victim of police violence for attending a protest. 

'I was just exercising my right to demonstrate and I ended up getting mutilated.' 

'The funny thing is that for the judge my mutilation is considered fair because I exposed myself to it. Does that mean that it is not safe to go out on the streets to demonstrate?', she added. 

 This incident came after dozens of Spanish riot police stormed Lleida University in Catalonia and arrested Hasel, who had barricaded himself inside to avoid a controversial nine-month jail sentence.

The rapper, who is known for his radical leftist views, had locked himself inside the campus in Lerida, near Barcelona with over 50 supporters the previous day.

The musician was convicted in 2018 for glorifying terrorism, slander and libel after he attacked the monarchy and accused police of killing and torturing immigrants in a string of tweets.

After a 24-hour standoff between police and the rapper, riot police officers arrested Hasel and he was escorted out of Lleida University's rectorate building. 

Hasel was found in 2018 to have encouraged violence and insulted the monarchy for his lyrics and tweets, which included references to banned guerrilla groups, compared a court to Nazis and called former king Juan Carlos a mafia capo.

His case sparked demonstrations in Madrid and Barcelona with his supporters protesting against the rapper's jailing and has even been linked to the government's sudden announcement that it is changing the security law.