Scuffles break out as art is removed from Catalan museum
(Artdaily.org)

Scuffles broke out Monday between police and demonstrators gathered outside a museum in the Catalan city of Lleida to protest at the removal of 44 works of art that a Spanish court ordered be returned to a neighbouring region. The pre-dawn operation comes amid simmering tensions between Spain`s central government and Catalonia over the wealthy region`s independence drive, with separatists saying it amounted to `plundering`. Police cordoned off the museum as workers arrived to remove the disputed art works, including three 15th century wooden caskets. Several hundred people gathered outside the museum chanted `Hands up! This is a robbery`, images broadcast on