Around 100 people detained in Barcelona for violent protests

Violent riots erupted in central Barcelona on Saturday evening, resulting in the detention of 128 individuals and injuries to fourteen police officers. The disturbances began around 6 p.m. local time and continued until approximately 11 p.m., involving several hundred young people who set fires, damaged public property, and looted shops near Plaça de Catalunya. Catalan authorities confirmed that 72 of the arrested were minors, while the remaining detainees were adults. Four of the injured officers suffered serious wounds, according to updated figures released by the Mossos d’Esquadra, the regional police force. The unrest was triggered by social media calls for demonstrations against the system. Posts circulating online used the slogan "Institut Indignats," which is a translation of the French student movement "Lycees Indignes" that has been organizing protests in France over recent weeks. Video footage shared on social platforms showed participants dressed in black with hoods, breaking into shop windows and removing merchandise. Other clips captured shoppers trapped inside stores, including the department store El Corte Ingles, after security shutters were lowered to protect the premises during the chaos. Regional Interior Minister Nuria Parlon stated that the incidents were provoked by unorganized groups that did not defend any specific right. She described the events as gratuitous violence and vandalism. In response, the Catalan government and the Barcelona city council announced they would join the legal proceedings as private prosecutors. Mayor Jaume Collboni condemned the senseless violence and vowed that the actions would not go unpunished. He specified that the municipality would pursue legal and financial consequences against adult offenders and the parents of minor participants. Police forces deployed more than 220 officers to manage the situation, though later reports indicated a larger operational presence involving up to 295 Mossos d’Esquadra agents and 229 local municipal police. The operation included thirty units from the riot control division and urban crime squads. Firefighters extinguished at least 33 small fires started by the protesters. Authorities noted that preventive measures had been taken earlier in the day, such as removing debris and containers from certain streets, following intelligence warnings about potential violent gatherings. However, these precautions proved insufficient to prevent the escalation. The scale of destruction varied slightly among initial reports. While some early accounts cited damage to 14 stores, subsequent official tallies placed the number of vandalized or looted commercial establishments at 23. More than 30 fires were recorded throughout the city center. Municipal sources estimated the damage to street furniture and public infrastructure at approximately 36,000 euros. The Mossos d’Esquadra processed 63 administrative records regarding the seizure of items including bladed weapons, spray cans, balaclavas, fireworks, and stones. During the clashes, protesters threw stones and objects at law enforcement. Police responded with charges to disperse the crowd, particularly after demonstrators erected a makeshift barricade using small containers, trash bins, and motorcycles at the intersection of Carrer Bergara and Plaça de Catalunya. They subsequently set this barrier on fire. The majority of the detained individuals had no prior record of public disorder offenses, although 18 adults and seven minors had previous criminal histories unrelated to street disturbances. Of the 128 arrests, 122 were men and six were women. Salvador Illa, the president of the Catalan regional government, issued a statement condemning the violence. He asserted that violence has no place in Catalonia, emphasizing that while protesting is a democratic right, attacks, intimidation, and property damage are not acceptable. The mayor reiterated that the city would hold both adult perpetrators and the guardians of minors accountable through judicial channels. The events took place amidst a high volume of citizens and tourists in the city center, near a long-standing housing rights campsite established in Plaça de Catalunya. Investigations into the origins of the social media campaign that incited the gathering are ongoing. Officials highlighted that the call to action appeared suddenly and was not associated with any formal organization. The rapid spread of the invitation via digital networks facilitated the assembly of hundreds of youths, many of whom arrived in the area before the violence commenced. As night fell, the police managed to dissolve the remaining groups of protesters, ending the active phase of the disturbance. The aftermath left significant debris and damage visible across the affected commercial district.