Lorraine Williamson
Barcelona is preparing for a major police operation on Saturday 31 October following online calls for further disturbances linked to the Blocus movement, which was associated with widespread disorder and shop looting in the city last weekend. The Mossos d’Esquadra are planning their highest level of public-order deployment, while some businesses in the city centre have already taken steps to protect their premises ahead of Halloween celebrations.
The heightened security arrangements follow a week of arrests and investigations into social media channels encouraging young people to gather in city centres. Although police are taking the warnings seriously, they have urged residents to remain calm and stressed that online calls for gatherings do not necessarily mean violence will occur.
Maximum police deployment across Barcelona
The Mossos d’Esquadra are preparing a level 4 operation, the highest risk classification used for public gatherings, in response to calls for demonstrations at several locations in central Barcelona. Police sources told Europa Press that the deployment will be considerably larger than the approximately 300 officers involved in last Saturday’s operation.
The planned security measures include additional patrols, checks at transport hubs and increased monitoring of people entering the city centre. Officers will work alongside Barcelona’s Guàrdia Urbana, with operations coordinated from the Mossos’ central command facilities.
According to police information reported by Europa Press, gatherings have been promoted online for Plaça de Catalunya and Passeig Lluís Companys from 5.00 pm, with another proposed for Passeig de Gràcia at 8.00 pm. The enhanced police deployment is expected to be in place ahead of these gatherings, with preventive checks planned on public transport and in the surrounding streets.
These are times circulated in online calls for gatherings, not confirmed timings for disturbances. Police are monitoring the situation and have not announced that violence is inevitable.
Businesses protect shops after last weekend’s violence
The precautions follow serious disorder in Barcelona on Saturday 24 October, when gatherings promoted through social media developed into attacks on shops, damage to public property and confrontations with police. According to the Mossos’ figures reported by Europa Press, the disturbances resulted in 133 arrests and more than 600 people being identified by officers.
Many of those arrested were minors, raising concerns about the role of online messaging channels in encouraging young people to participate. Investigators have since been examining how the gatherings were organised and whether particular individuals were responsible for encouraging criminal activity.
In central Barcelona, several retailers have reinforced their entrances and covered shop windows with protective boards. Other businesses have removed valuable items from display as a precaution, although the Mossos have not issued a general instruction for shops to close.
The Mossos’ preparations and the precautions taken by businesses were reported on Friday as police continued assessing the credibility of the online calls.
Suspected Blocus organiser arrested in Valencia
The Guardia Civil has arrested the suspected founder and principal organiser of Blocus in Spain in Picanya, Valencia. According to the official Ministry of the Interior statement, issued on Friday 30 October, investigators believe the suspect created and administered Telegram groups used to coordinate gatherings and identify potential targets for looting.
The suspect, who reportedly described himself online as the movement’s founder in Spain, is being investigated for alleged aggravated public disorder and involvement in a criminal organisation. His arrest followed an investigation into the violence in Barcelona on 24 October and came ahead of further gatherings advertised for Saturday.
The Guardia Civil says the online recruitment process involved TikTok videos, QR codes and messaging groups, with some material presented as student protests. Investigators allege that participants were encouraged to wear masks and dark clothing and that certain channels discussed targeting shops with limited police presence.
Further arrests linked to online calls for violence
Police investigations have led to additional arrests in several parts of Spain involving people suspected of using Blocus-related accounts to encourage disturbances and thefts. Authorities have been examining how these online channels operate and whether their administrators are deliberately encouraging criminal activity.
On Friday, the Policía Nacional confirmed the arrest of a 20-year-old man in Bilbao accused of administering an Instagram account associated with Blocus. Investigators allege that the account promoted a gathering for 31 October and encouraged attacks on businesses and public disorder.
The official Ministry of the Interior statement sets out the allegations against the suspect, who is being investigated in connection with suspected public-order and property offences.
Further arrests have been reported in Valencia, Málaga, Tenerife and Catalonia. According to reporting published on Saturday, police operations across several cities have resulted in around ten arrests linked to suspected preparations for disturbances.
Other Spanish cities also preparing for possible disturbances
Barcelona is not the only city where police are preparing for possible Blocus-related activity. Security operations have also been reinforced in Valencia, Bilbao and Málaga, while authorities are monitoring online calls involving Madrid, Seville and other locations across Spain.
In Valencia, Mayor María José Catalá has advised people to avoid the city centre on Saturday afternoon as a precaution. Police and local authorities have coordinated additional patrols, while some retailers have covered their shop windows following online threats of disturbances.
In Málaga province, the Policía Nacional arrested a 20-year-old suspected member of Blocus on Friday 30 October following an investigation into messages encouraging looting in Málaga city, Fuengirola and Marbella. According to the official Policía Nacional announcement, the suspect allegedly used messaging groups to encourage attacks on commercial premises during Halloween and provide instructions to other participants.
Investigators also allege that the suspect encouraged followers to start fires away from the intended targets to divert police resources, allowing others to carry out thefts. Police say the messages included references to weapons and petrol, and the man is being investigated for suspected conspiracy to commit public disorder and property offences, as well as alleged membership of an organised group. The investigation remains open.
Elsewhere in Catalonia, the Mossos are preparing for advertised gatherings in locations including Lleida, Badalona, Mataró, Girona and Terrassa. Police have emphasised that previous calls outside Barcelona have generally attracted little participation, making it important to distinguish genuine threats from rumours circulating online.
What residents and visitors should know
People planning to visit central Barcelona on Saturday should be aware that additional police checks and security operations may affect access to some streets and transport connections. The areas receiving particular attention include Plaça de Catalunya, Passeig Lluís Companys and Passeig de Gràcia, where gatherings have been promoted online.
There is currently no general instruction for residents or tourists to avoid Barcelona, and the authorities have emphasised that their preparations are precautionary. Anyone travelling into the city should follow instructions from police officers and consult official transport information if unexpected restrictions are introduced.
The Mossos have also warned against treating every social media message as reliable. Many online calls for similar gatherings elsewhere in Catalonia have attracted little or no participation, and police are continuing to assess which threats are credible.
Emergency numbers and safety information
Anyone caught up in a disturbance should move away from the area, avoid confrontations, and follow instructions from police officers. If there is an immediate threat to life or safety, call 112, Spain’s free emergency number, which operates nationwide and connects callers with the appropriate emergency services.
Other useful numbers include 091 for the Policía Nacional, 092 for local police, and 062 for the Guardia Civil. In Barcelona, emergencies involving public disorder should be reported through 112, which can coordinate the appropriate response, including the Mossos d’Esquadra.
Spain’s official AlertCops app also allows users to contact the Policía Nacional or Guardia Civil through a chat service, share their location with trusted contacts, and receive security notifications. The app is available in English and several other languages, although its direct police reporting service is not currently operated by the Mossos d’Esquadra in Catalonia or the Ertzaintza in the Basque Country.
Police aim to prevent a repeat of last weekend
The scale of the operation reflects the seriousness of last Saturday’s disturbances, but police say their objective is to prevent further disorder rather than respond after incidents have begun. Investigators are continuing to monitor online activity while officers prepare for the possibility of gatherings during one of the busiest evenings of the autumn.
With Halloween celebrations taking place across Spain, authorities face the additional challenge of distinguishing genuine public-safety threats from rumours and misleading social media posts. Further updates will depend on whether the advertised gatherings materialise and whether police report any confirmed incidents.