Violence erupts in central Barcelona following major housing demonstration

Police fought pitched street battles in central Barcelona on Monday night after a mass protest against Spain’s escalating housing crisis descended into violence, leaving nearly 30 police officers injured and resulting in 13 arrests, including a minor.

The clashes came just two days after similar unrest in Valencia, where demonstrators threw metal barriers at riot police during housing rights protests. In Barcelona, radicals set fire to wheelie bins, constructed 28 street barricades, and hurled stones, bottles, and flares at police lines along Gran Via and Passeig de Gràcia.

The demonstration, organized by the Sindicat de Llogateres (Tenants' Union of Catalonia) alongside major trade unions, drew up to 120,000 people according to organizers, though local police estimated turnout at around 20,000. Originally scheduled for Saturday, the march was postponed to Monday due to severe coastal storms and torrential rainfall that claimed two lives across the region.

Marchers gathered at 7pm in Plaça d'Urquinaona, calling for a 50 per cent reduction in rent limits, an end to short-term leases, and an immediate halt to evictions. While the primary march concluded peacefully around 9.30pm, groups of hooded individuals remained in the city centre and began setting fire to commercial containers and furniture on Casp Street.

Officers from the Mossos d'Esquadra ordered baton charges and launched dispersal operations after fire crews under police escort responded to 22 separate street fires. several police vehicles sustained heavy damage during the skirmishes, which continued until midnight.

Police confirmed the arrest of 12 adult men and one minor female on charges of public disorder. Medical authorities reported that 28 police officers suffered minor injuries during the operation.

The violence forms part of a wave of national unrest over housing costs, further heightened by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s call for a snap general election on 29 November. Activists maintaining tent encampments in Madrid's Puerta del Sol and Barcelona's Plaça de Catalunya have pledged to expand their protests, demanding an immediate freeze on rental prices and nationwide housing reform ahead of the election campaign.

The regional Mossos d’Esquadra police force said in a statement this morning about the incidents in Barcelona last night: “The violence continued until midnight, when the various fires that had been burning were extinguished.

“The Mossos d’Esquadra activated several firefighting teams from the Barcelona Fire Brigade and deployed a police protection operation to ensure safe intervention at each of the points where fires were burning. “Police vehicles were strategically positioned to protect the emergency services and allow them to work safely, without compromising their physical safety.

“The groups of hooded people in the Plaça de Catalunya area maintained a very violent attitude towards the police line, throwing fire extinguishers, wooden and iron sticks, stones, paving stones, knives and glass bottles containing liquid.

“Police interventions were carried out to make them leave the area, but the violent individuals continued taking materials from the construction works near the Rambla area, and pelted officers with stones.

“On Pelai Street they moved all the construction material into the middle of the road and started fires, with the risk that more intense fires could break out. They also burned bicycles parked in the street.

“Some of the hooded people who caused the violent incidents used the camp in the Plaça de Catalunya square where housing activists are currently basing themselves to take refuge and escape police action after causing public disorder.

“The situation was gradually restored through police interventions against the rioters, and selective use of foam projectile launchers had to be made given the forcefulness of the attacks and in order to restore the situation.

“We can confirm at this time that 13 people were arrested for public disorder, one underage girl and the rest adult men, that 28 barricades were set up, and a total of 22 fires extinguished by the Fire Brigade with police protection.

“Thirty officers were slightly injured.”

In an earlier statement police confirmed the violence began around 9.30pm on Casp Street and said they reacted with a “selective use of batons” to repel a large group of hooded individuals who were trying to break through the police line.

They added: “At the same time, the organisers announced over the loudspeaker the end of the demonstration and the Mossos d’Esquadra issued warnings for them to stop the violent actions.

“Even so, the throwing of pyrotechnics and bottles at officers continued. The violent crowd, with their faces covered by balaclavas, made manoeuvres to get past the police line.

“At around 10 p.m, groups of violent individuals continued throwing fireworks and bottles at the police line and warnings were issued over the loudspeaker for them to leave. The crowd came into direct confrontation with the police line

“Warnings continued for them to stop throwing objects and the people gathered were repeatedly asked to leave the area because the demonstration had already been called off.

“Around 10.15 p.m, the rioters began taking tables and chairs and throwing them at officers to build a barricade.

“At this point, officers from a specialised riot control and public order unit began moving on foot to direct the crowd out of the area since they were not leaving despite police warnings.

“After this manoeuvre, they regrouped, carrying out violent acts, setting fire to containers and attacking the police.

“Warnings were issued again and, as they ignored the police instructions, a new manoeuvre was initiated to make them leave the area.”