Following several calls circulating on social media under the label Blocus the weekend was largely calm in Barcelona . According to local police, around 1,400 people were identified, three were provisionally arrested and no major property damage was recorded. By Sunday, the authorities had reported no new confirmed meeting points or calls to gather.
At the same time, the Spanish National Police took action in Valencia The Ministry of the Interior said that the Policía Nacional had arrested the alleged creator and administrator of communications channels called Blocus VLC. He is accused of using these channels to call for shops in the city to be looted. According to the ministry, the investigation is focused on the origin, operation and means of distribution of the relevant content.
In Barcelona, the weekend’s measures focused on prevention. According to the authorities, groups of people were checked, identities verified and potential gathering points monitored to prevent possible vandalism and theft. The police described their presence in public spaces as proportionate to the situation. Media reports confirm that the checks were intended primarily as a deterrent and that only a small number of arrests were made during their implementation.
An assessment of the cases known so far suggests that mobilisation took place via accounts on messaging services that were created at short notice and quickly deleted. According to the authorities, this makes it harder to trace the authors and administrators. The Ministry of the Interior refers to ongoing proceedings in several autonomous communities and to cooperation between police forces to identify further calls at an early stage.
The authorities’ assessments remain provisional: the police currently consider the situation to be under control, but stress that activity on digital channels can change rapidly. Investigations into those responsible and the communications structures are continuing. At the same time, the forces involved point out that restrictions on freedom of assembly are justified only where there is a specific threat, and that measures are aimed at preventing criminal acts.
Developments in recent days show that rapid action by the police and the justice system can help maintain public order. They also underline the importance of a robust evidence base when content spreads rapidly and widely on social networks and leads to real security risks.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).