According to The Guardian, dozens of people, including 30 police officers, were injured in protests outside the Madrid headquarters of Spain's ruling socialist party, as angry demonstrators voiced their opposition to the party's plans for an agreement deal with Catalan separatists.

An estimated 7,000 individuals gathered outside the offices of the Spanish Socialist Workers' party (PSOE), located on Calle de Ferraz, on Tuesday night to express their dissent towards the proposed agreement. The demonstration, which drew participants from the far-right Vox party, as well as fascist and neo-fascist groups, quickly turned chaotic, with clashes erupting between protesters and riot police, who responded with tear gas and baton charges.

Video footage from the event captured some participants hurling derogatory insults at Pedro Sánchez, the acting prime minister and leader of the PSOE, labeling him as a "son of a bitch," a "criminal," and a "dictator." Additionally, Spain's acting interior minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, who is openly gay, was targeted with homophobic slurs, with one protester referring to him as a "faggot."

Emergency services in Madrid reported that a total of 39 people were injured, the majority of them being police officers. Additionally, authorities confirmed the arrest of seven individuals involved in the clashes. These confrontations followed similar scenes of violence outside the PSOE headquarters the previous night.

The contentious issue of the agreement arises from the aftermath of Spain's inconclusive general election in July, wherein the conservative People's party (PP) narrowly surpassed the PSOE. However, the PP has struggled to gather sufficient support to form a government, leaving Sánchez and his leftwing Sumar alliance with the best opportunity to lead. Nevertheless, this can only be achieved by securing the backing of the two main pro-independence parties in Catalonia, the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) and Junts (Together).

Both Catalan parties have stipulated that their support for Sánchez's return to power depends on the granting of an amnesty for individuals involved in the failed push for Catalan secession in October 2017. While the ERC has already reached an agreement in support of Sánchez, negotiations with Junts remain ongoing.

Sánchez has argued that the agreement is crucial for promoting coexistence, but he has accused the PP and Vox of inciting the violence outside the PSOE offices, as both parties have strongly criticized the proposal, alleging that Sánchez is using it as a means to remain in power.

In response to the events, Sánchez took to social media, stating, "We expect nothing from those who, by action or omission, support the besieging of socialist premises. Their silence speaks volumes. Social progress and coexistence are worth it. They won't break the PSOE."

While the PP condemned the violence and emphasized that they neither organized nor participated in the protests, they asserted that Spaniards were enraged because Sánchez had "crossed a lot of red lines in order to carry on being prime minister."

Leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal, who had called for individuals to gather on Calle de Ferraz on Monday night, attempted to place blame on Sánchez and Grande-Marlaska for the violence, claiming that they had instructed the police to "charge at and gas peaceful protesters" during the initial demonstration. Abascal also declared that his party would continue to support peaceful protests against "the coup-mongers who are negotiating the conditions to eliminate coexistence in Spain."

A poll conducted in mid-September indicated that 70% of Spaniards opposed the amnesty, while approximately 200,000 individuals have participated in recent rallies organized by the PP and Vox to express their dissent.

In light of the escalating tensions, both within the PSOE and among protesters, Spain braces for further challenges in the pursuit of political cohesion and stability.