Barcelona pursues those responsible for the disturbances in the city centre

The Mossos have arrested around a hundred people, a quarter of whom are minors, following the looting and damage on Saturday in the city centre.

The mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, and the Interior Minister, Núria Parlon, appeared on Saturday night to condemn the disturbances that shook the city centre. There were looting incidents, burning containers, and damage to several shops around Plaza de Catalunya.

According to Parlon, the incidents were carried out by around 500 people who gathered without being part of any organised demonstration. The Mossos d'Esquadra made around a hundred arrests, with a quarter being minors. The minister indicated that there would be more arrests to come.

To contain the situation, the Mossos deployed 210 officers, with the collaboration of the Guardia Urbana de Barcelona and the Firefighters. The intervention unfolded amid stampedes, object throwing, and fires affecting several central streets.

“We will not allow what has happened to go unpunished,” warned Mayor Jaume Collboni.

Collboni assured that the authorities would pursue those involved, both adults and the legal guardians of the detained minors. According to him, the message from the City Council is one of firmness.

“This will not happen again, and we will go after the culprits.”

The mayor explained that the Barcelona City Council had been monitoring potential incidents for days due to calls circulating on social media. Therefore, the council removed debris and containers from public roads to prevent them from being used in vandalism. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the disturbances could not be prevented.

Looking ahead to Sunday, the City Council will reinforce municipal services to repair the damage and restore normalcy in the affected streets.