Barcelona riots leave 14 shops looted and 100 arrested

Hundreds of young people gathered in central Barcelona on Saturday after an unannounced call spread on social media under the slogan “Against the system.” The crowd turned the area around Plaça de Catalunya into a scene of clashes, looting, and vandalism.

The unrest spread across Ronda de Sant Pere, Fontanella Street, Ronda de la Universitat, Plaça de Catalunya, and Portal de l’Àngel. Fourteen shops were looted or targeted, including technology, phone, and clothing stores. Restaurants and a flower stall temporarily moved to Plaça de Catalunya because of Rambla renovation works also suffered damage.

“gratuitous violence and vandalism”

Violent groups built barricades using bins, trash cans, and motorcycles. One barricade at the corner of Vergara Street and Plaça de Catalunya was set on fire, forcing firefighters to intervene amid new clashes. Protesters also burned bins, knocked over parked motorcycles, damaged bus shelters and traffic lights, and tried to remove public transport bicycles.

The Mossos d’Esquadra deployed a large riot-police operation and made several charges to disperse participants and restore order. Around 100 young people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the disturbances, a quarter of them minors.

Interior Minister Núria Parlon and Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni told reporters the protest defended no right and had no link to the housing-access encampment installed for weeks at Plaça de Catalunya. They described the episode as “gratuitous violence and vandalism.”

The Interior Department sees a possible “mirror” of protests organized today in several European cities, some of which ended in violent incidents. Collboni warned that the city council will join judicial proceedings and that the disturbances will have consequences for adults and for the parents of minors.