In Barcelona extensive investigations are under way following the looting and fires of 24 October 2026. The Mossos d’Esquadra are analysing video and chat material to identify further participants and are asking the public for information. According to police, around 128 to 130 people were arrested, a substantial proportion of them minors. The Fiscalía Provincial de Barcelona has requested protective and supervision measures for several young people.
The investigation is centred on calls that have circulated on social media since early October under the label Blocus According to consistent reports, people interested in taking part were directed via TikTok by direct message into groups on WhatsApp and Telegram There, instructions circulated on meeting points, lists of target shops and ways to conceal faces. Some of the groups can no longer be accessed. The Catalan police are working with the Centro de Inteligencia contra el Terrorismo y el Crimen Organizado; CITCO is helping to block relevant channels and analyse technical traces.
The events of the night are largely documented: masked groups smashed shop windows, stole goods and set furniture alight. Officers were pelted with bottles and stones. Authorities say there were several injured people and the material damage was considerable. The city is securing evidence from CCTV cameras, while insurers and traders are reporting losses.
For context, investigators and observers stress that there is so far no confirmed organisational link to established political groups. Current understanding suggests that references in the calls to protest aesthetics from other countries point instead to loose, opportunistic mobilisation. Following research into open and semi-closed channels, Newtral and other newsrooms have identified similar patterns in other European cities as well.
For the 31 October 2026 further online calls are circulating, some drawing on Halloween themes. The authorities are advising retailers in the city centre to take extra precautions, recommending that vulnerable branches close early and asking people to report suspicious content on TikTok, Telegram and WhatsApp. At the same time, the Mossos d’Esquadra announced that they would act decisively in the event of further offences and establish individual responsibility.
The events in Barcelona show how quickly small-scale online calls can escalate into real-life acts of violence. The specific individuals behind the coordination and channels are the subject of ongoing proceedings; reliable findings will only be available after forensic analysis and judicial review.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).