Key points
- Police in Barcelona are preparing for possible fresh riots on 31 October after a weekend of unrest.
- 130 people were arrested over the weekend; about 20 more were arrested in Bilbao on Monday.
- On 24 October, more than 600 young people gathered in central Barcelona; 23 businesses were looted or vandalised and 33 small fires were set.
- 76 of those arrested in Barcelona were minors.
- A Telegram group, Blocus BCN, is calling for a gathering on 31 October in black clothing and Halloween masks; Catalan police say no political or ideological motive has been found.
Police in Barcelona are preparing for possible fresh riots on 31 October, after a weekend of unrest in Spain in which 130 people were arrested. The alert was reported on Tuesday 27 October 2026.
The trouble began on Saturday 24 October, when more than 600 young people gathered in central Barcelona. The gathering had been called on social media under the name Blocus. Shops were looted and vandalised: 23 businesses were hit, and 33 small fires were set. Seventy-six of those arrested in Barcelona were minors. About 20 more people were arrested in Bilbao on Monday. Read more: Mass protests sweep France as 410,000 march over living costs and school conditions
The key figures
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Arrested over the weekend | 130 | Police reports |
| Gathered in central Barcelona, 24 October | 600+ | Police reports |
| Businesses looted or vandalised | 23 | Police reports |
| Small fires set | 33 | Police reports |
| Minors among those arrested in Barcelona | 76 | Police reports |
| Arrested in Bilbao, Monday | About 20 | Reports |
| Blocus locations across Spain | 18 in 11 regions | Golden Owl study |
The weekend's unrest
The Barcelona gathering was not a march with a route and a demand. It was a crowd summoned online, which formed in the city centre and then broke into looting and arson. That shape — organised on social media, without a clear political programme — is what has unsettled the police. The same pattern has appeared in France in recent weeks, where large youth protests have filled city centres, but the Spanish gatherings look different: no clear demand, and a fast turn to looting.
What police expect on 31 October
A Telegram group called Blocus BCN is now calling for another gathering on 31 October, telling people to wear black clothing and Halloween masks. The date is Halloween, when crowds of young people are on the streets anyway, which is exactly why the police are worried. Catalan police are investigating the group and say they have found no political or ideological motive behind the unrest so far.
A study by the Golden Owl research group found Blocus activity in 18 locations across 11 regions of Spain, with the earliest activity recorded on 8 October in Madrid. The movement, if that word fits something so diffuse, is therefore not only a Barcelona story. It is a networked one, spreading from city to city through the same online channels.
What happens next
Police will be out in force in Barcelona on 31 October, and other cities are watching the same channels. Europe Unfolded will report what happens on the night.
Updates & corrections
Published 27 October 2026.
No updates or corrections have been made to this article since publication.
Sources
- ANews, 27 October 2026, on the police alert and the weekend's arrests and damage: anews.com.tr
- EuropeSays, 27 October 2026, on the weekend unrest and the 31 October call: europesays.com