100 people arrested Saturday for riots in central Barcelona

Police arrested 130 people Saturday, following riots that took place near Plaça Catalunya in the center of Barcelona, according to Interior Minister Núria Parlon. 

According to the police, of those arrested, over 50% were minors. Furthermore, The incidents also caused damage or looting in around 30 commercial establishments and left fourteen Mossos officers injured, four of whom were serious.

The incidents, which began in the afternoon, involved looting and the burning of street furniture. 

Both Parlon and the Mayor of Barcelona, ​​Jaume Collboni, condemned the events, emphasizing that they were not linked to any demonstration or the assertion of any rights.

Mayor Collboni stated that authorities would pursue the matter "to the full extent" through both judicial and civil channels, asserting that these actions "will have consequences," not only for the adults involved but also for the guardians of the minors.

The minister explained that, at the height of the riot, approximately 500 people were involved, she reiterated that the group was not organized, was not part of any demonstration, and was not advocating for "any kind of right."

The police operation involved approximately 210 officers from the Mossos d'Esquadra, including riot police and plainclothes officers, as well as public safety units, with support from the Barcelona City Police.

Potential further disturbances

Mayor Colboni noted Monday that public authorities are prepared for potential further disturbances in the city center, similar to those that occurred Saturday afternoon. 

Speaking to TVE-1 and Cadena SER, he explained that the police had already detected signs of planned gatherings on social media, leading to the removal of street furniture to prevent more extensive damage. 

Nevertheless, the ongoing investigation into Saturday’s events is expected to yield new information, helping authorities better prepare for future gatherings, some of which are already scheduled for next Saturday. 

In any case, he reiterated a policy of "zero tolerance" toward these "disturbances," which he described as an "unprecedented phenomenon," and expressed his full support for local business owners and the police.

He noted that the police have already requested information from tech platforms regarding the organizers, and that in the days leading up to the events, they had investigated 300 individuals potentially linked to them. 

He suggested that the organizers likely belong to the "underbelly of social media, influencers who promote hate speech and extremist views," and are driven by "spurious interests." 

Consequently, he argued that "no one could possibly believe" the claim, made by PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo, that these mobilizations were promoted by the political left. 

Furthermore, he reiterated that both the City Council and the Catalan government will assist business owners if any portion of the damages is not covered by insurance. 

Additionally, the City Council will take legal action to seek compensation for damage to street furniture, initially valued at 36,000 euros, which will have to be paid for by the adult rioters or the parents of any minors who were arrested.

Punishment and recovery

Parlon issued a "firm" condemnation of the events and expressed her support for the council authorities regarding any actions it decides to take. In this regard, Collboni announced that the council will take legal action to defend the affected public property. 

"We will not allow what happened in Barcelona to go unpunished," said the mayor, who particularly emphasized that they will also hold the parents of the minors accountable. 

"They shouldn't think that this will just be left as is, or that this is merely some act of mischief," he said.

In a statement, Pimec, Catalonia's business association, called for the activation of an extraordinary aid plan to cover the repair of damages, compensate for losses resulting from forced closures, and help affected businesses resume operations as soon as possible.

Barcelona City Council has since created an emergency fund of around 500,000 euros to help businesses affected by the riots.

Municipal services worked throughout the night Saturday to restore normalcy to the city. The Plaça de Catalunya metro station, which had been closed for the duration of the events, reopened during the early hours of Sunday. 

Meanwhile, bus lines affected by the disturbances gradually resumed their regular routes throughout the night, the city council reported.

Possible parallel to the protests in France

Collboni also noted that these events occurred within the context of similar incidents taking place elsewhere in Europe, most notably in France, which have now "reached" Barcelona. 

Parlon also sees a potential "mirror effect" stemming from those protests, noting that the situation had been under observation for days. 

"One might feel anger or oppose injustices, but nothing that has happened here has anything to do with that," she said. 

The minister did not rule out the possibility of further arrests, both tonight and as a result of the investigation that will now begin.