Pedro Sánchez has described Saturday's disturbances in Barcelona as "pure vandalism" and has assured that the Government maintains "zero tolerance" with the violent, in a message disseminated on X while the investigation into the altercations remains open.
Lo que hemos visto en Barcelona este fin de semana no es un acto de democracia: es puro vandalismo instigado desde las redes.
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) October 26, 2026
Hay una investigación en marcha y 128 detenidos que responderán ante la justicia.
Este Gobierno lo tiene claro: cero tolerancia a los violentos y pleno…
The President of the Government maintains that the protests were not an act of democracy and links them to instigation from social media. He assures that an investigation is underway and 128 detainees will answer to justice.
The Executive hardens its tone with a balance of 130 detainees
Sánchez pointed out that the actions involve around 128 detainees, but the balance cited in the context of the riots raises the figure to 130 arrests, with more than half of those involved being minors: 74 men and two women. The incidents left damage to urban furniture and looting in about thirty establishments around Plaça de Catalunya. The Executive, in its message, emphasizes its position: "Zero tolerance for the violent and full support for agents and merchants."
The investigation has also reached the Barcelona Juvenile Prosecutor's Office, which has requested various precautionary measures for the 76 minors detained during the disturbances. These include the internment of some adolescents and supervised release, as well as the prohibition of approaching within one kilometer of meetings or demonstrations in certain cases. The Prosecutor's Office requested the internment of six minors, a measure that had already been granted in two cases. It also requested supervised release measures for about twenty adolescents.
The calls that preceded the altercations circulated mainly on social media, especially TikTok, and then were disseminated in private WhatsApp and Telegram groups. Investigators are analyzing publications, images, and other evidence to identify the people who promoted the incidents.
Carlos Cuerpo demands consequences and also calls for family responsibility
From Valencia, the First Vice President and Minister of Economy, Trade and Business, Carlos Cuerpo, expressed his "immediate and absolute condemnation of any type of violence or disturbances" and warned that these episodes "cloud coexistence" in a city like Barcelona.
The minister called for "pursuing these types of situations and ensuring they have consequences" and pointed out that "in a society like Spain's, we cannot allow them." In the case of minors, he added that "specific responsibility on the part of their parents" should be demanded.
Cuerpo added that he has no information about the origin of this type of movements and stated that it is up to the authorities, from the City Council to the Generalitat and the State, to promote that it does not happen again. This Monday, several ministers also pointed to the far right as a possible culprit, noting that it would be the only one to benefit from the feeling of chaos and disorder.
The minister made this call after visiting the Valencian municipalities of Gandia and Oliva this Monday to learn about the damage caused by storm Adam, and asked for de-escalation to avoid new violent acts.
