Briefing
On 24 October 2026 there were gatherings in the city centre of Barcelona in the area around Plaça Catalunya that had not been notified, which led to serious rioting and looting. The Mossos d'Esquadra give a provisional figure of 128 arrests; according to official figures, more than half of those arrested, 72 people, are minors. Local authorities also reported numerous injured officers and an initial estimate of around 23 shops vandalised or looted.
The investigation is focusing on anonymous online accounts and short-lived channels operating under the label Blocus According to police, calls to action spread mainly through TikTok; the mobilisation then continued in closed groups on messaging services. Police are examining which accounts circulated the calls and whether they amounted to criminally relevant instructions to commit violence. European and national partners are involved in analysing digital traces, the Mossos said.
Sílvia Catà, the commissioner at the head of the Mossos d'Esquadra, described the events on Sunday as “quite inexplicable” and distinguished them from traditional, hierarchically organised demonstrations. According to her account, they mainly involved loosely organised groups, some of them very young, whose make-up and motives remain the subject of an ongoing investigation.
The city council has made restoring public order and assessing the damage a priority; business associations report substantial economic losses. At the same time, the incidents have sparked debate about preventing youth violence, how platforms deal with anonymous mobilisations, and the responsibility of parents and schools.
The facts concerning the platform name Blocus, the precise sequence of events and possible organisers have not yet been fully established. Official statements and several media reports confirm the date, location and provisional arrest figures; the investigation is ongoing.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).