Barcelona ‘stronger than ever’ in wake of attack

With local authorities confirming very few cancellations, the Catalan capital responds defiantly to the massacre with business as usual on Les Rambles

Tokens brought to the place of the attack to honour the victims (by ACN)
Tokens brought to the place of the attack to honour the victims (by ACN) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

August 22, 2017 07:48 PM

Merely days after the brutal terror attack in Barcelona that left 14 dead and over 120 injured, the city’s iconic La Rambla is once again full of people. If the aim of the terrorists was to frighten visitors away from one of the Catalan capital’s main tourist spots, then they very clearly failed.

Not only were the crowds strolling down the pedestrianized Rambles back merely 24 hours after the attack, but a floral tribute near the Miró mosaic, where the perpetrator Younes Abouyaaqoub abandoned the van he used to commit the massacre, grows day-by-day.

Meanwhile, nearby, a typical Rambles kiosk has been festooned with Post-it notes bearing messages of support. Far from spreading fear, it seems the terrorists only succeeded in sowing unity and solidarity.

Back to business-as-usual

The feeling of business-as-usual in the centre of Barcelona was confirmed by the city council and local economic representatives in a meeting on Tuesday.