Major Trapero, an unlikely hero
Catalan police handling of the attacks' communication, in four languages and always urging calm, praised by citizens and politicians
"There has just been a massive trampling on the Ramblas in Barcelona by a person with a van. There are injured." With this tweet, published in Catalan, Spanish and English, the Catalan police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, alerted people about the incident last Thursday that was later confirmed as the worst terrorist attack in Catalonia in 30 years, with 15 killed and more than 100 injured. The attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils were also the worst in Spain since the 2004 Madrid attacks, which killed 192 people.
What unfolded was not only a massive police operation that ended with 4 terrorists arrested and 8 killed, but also a very bold communicative one. The Catalan police force’s Twitter account, @Mossos, doubled its followers during the attacks, as it offered regular and timely information about the developments of the investigation, in several languages, while urging precaution and calm at all times.
Timely information online
"We treat this as a terrorist attack," agents warned on Twitter after the Rambla attack. "We're still working in Cambrils. Situation under control, 4 perpetrators shot and 1 injured. Keep safe, follow our tips," they said hours later, after agents neutralized those responsible for the second attack. "All official information about the attacks of #Barcelona and #Cambrils we will publish it hereby. Please don't spread false information," the community manager of @Mossos asked citizens.
One of the most sensitive issues that Catalan police had to handle was the death of 7-year-old British-Australian boy, Julian Cadman. For several days, social media and the press published that the little boy had disappeared, then that he had been found in hospital, but the truth was that he was actually one of the fatalities. "There are many who ask for specific information about the Australian child. Communicative priority over victims is to family members," police tweeted. The father of Julian was flying over from Australia. His son's death was only confirmed when he was properly informed.