Police launched a manhunt in Barcelona on Thursday for the campaigner for Catalan independence, who made a sensational return to Catalonia — and a getaway after a speech in the city.

The bicibús, or bike bus, started with five families and has grown to an event that happens every Friday. It promotes bike safety and encourages environmentally friendly transportation.

"Due to economic and structural obstacles" in LaLiga regulations, Messi will depart less than a month after making a verbal agreement on a 5-year deal, the club said in a statement.

Protesters lit fires and luxury stores were vandalized and looted. Nightly, at times violent, protests have followed Pablo Hasél's arrest under a law that criminalizes glorifying terrorism.

The country is seeing a trend similar to the U.S., with more young people catching the virus. More than 17,800 new cases have been confirmed in the last two weeks, nearly half of them in Catalonia.