On 29 October 2026, false calls circulating online in Vic (Catalonia), using the aesthetic of the movement Blocus led numerous shopkeepers to close their premises as a precaution. At the same time, a registered demonstration by students from Força Antifeixista Catalana (FAC) took place in the morning, calling for better education, affordable housing and fair work for young people. According to local reports, the organisers and participants expressly distanced themselves from the circulating calls for violence and “saqueos“.
The Mossos d'Esquadra responded with a visible preventive deployment. Access routes were monitored, patrols in the town centre were increased, and the gathering was temporarily contained in a controlled manner. According to police, the demonstration passed without incident. Verified media and police reports provide no evidence of looting in Vic that day. According to local media, many shops lowered their shutters or closed early as a precaution after “convocatoria fantasma” – fake calls to action – began circulating in chat groups and newly created channels.
The University of Vic – Universitat Central de Catalunya (UVic) confirmed that the student demonstration was peaceful; some spokespersons stressed that the false calls did not originate from their circle. Local media estimates put the number of students taking part in the march through the town centre at around one hundred.
In the wider area, regional media had reported similar digital mobilisations in the name of Blocus in towns around Barcelona in the preceding days. In Barcelona itself, police recently checked numerous people following related online calls, in an effort to prevent possible disorder. The fact-checking service EFE Verifica documented a network of short-lived profiles and channels using a uniform visual style to incite vandalism and spread fear; several of these profiles have since been suspended.
The incident in Vic shows how powerfully online fake calls can disrupt everyday life in smaller towns, even without actual disorder. The authorities announced that they would investigate the origin of the channels and consider legal action against the authors of any calls for violence. Nevertheless, the day cost Vic’s businesses trade: operations remained restricted until it became clear in the afternoon that the situation was under control and the demonstration had ended.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).