The Spanish government is investigating who organised the calls on social media behind the riots and looting in Barcelona said the Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, in an interview with RTVEon Monday. Torres said the investigation was being carried out jointly with local security forces and that they were awaiting reports from the relevant departments. He also warned against jumping to conclusions until the data had been analysed.
The background is the weekend’s riots, which began on Saturday evening in the area around Plaça de Catalunya According to the Mossos d’Esquadra and the Guardia Urbana 128 people had been arrested by Sunday, according to a provisional tally; 72 of those arrested are minors. Security forces reported violent assaults, burning bins and considerable property damage. According to consistent media reports, at least 20 shops were damaged or looted, and police officers were also injured. Figures for the injured vary across reports so far.
The investigation is focused in particular on the origins and coordination of anonymous online calls, which are said to have mobilised large numbers of young people at short notice. Torres stressed the influence of social media on the pace and dynamics of events, but said that digital evidence was still being analysed. The Generalitat de Catalunya and the city council say they are coordinating closely with the emergency services.
Official statements from the Mossos d’Esquadra and reports by several news organisations, including RTVE, EFE and Europa Pressconfirm the arrest figures. Investigators are also examining whether there is evidence of outside influence or whether the groups involved were mainly locally based. Security experts have tempered expectations of swift identifications: they say that circumstances on the ground, copycat behaviour and the rapid spread of meeting points and images are often decisive.
Politically, the incident has reignited debate about juvenile crime, parental responsibility and prevention in the digital sphere. The authorities have announced individual reviews of police tactics and risk assessments. Proceedings are under way against those arrested; the courts will decide on any criminal penalties. It remains unclear at this stage whether the calls came from a clearly defined group or loosely connected organisers, and this is the subject of the ongoing investigation.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).