Barcelona judge tells parents of rioting minors they must do better
A juvenile court judge rebuked parents of minors held over Saturday's Barcelona riots, as officials brace for a new call to unrest on Halloween.
A juvenile court judge in Barcelona has rebuked the parents of minors detained over weekend riots in the city, telling them they should have known where their children were and what they were doing.
Minors held over Saturday's unrest began appearing before the judge on Sunday and Monday, accompanied by their parents, Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia reported. When several parents said they had not known their children were taking part in the violence, the judge told them that was precisely the problem.
The judge ordered six of the most serious cases into detention and placed 20 other minors under supervised liberty, barring them from going within 1,000 metres of rallies or demonstrations. The restriction is meant to stop them joining a new gathering called for the night of 31 October, Halloween.
Catalan authorities said about 130 people were detained after Saturday's unrest, most of them minors. Of the adults, 31 were released on condition they report periodically to court; decisions on the rest are due in the coming days. Minors are appearing before the juvenile court through the week, at a rate of eight to ten a day, and all those detained have since been released pending proceedings.
A Telegram channel calling itself Blocus BCN said it would soon announce a meeting point for a new action and urged participants to wear masks and gloves to avoid identification, according to La Vanguardia. Catalan police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, have opened an investigation to identify who is behind the messaging and are seeking judicial authorisation to obtain data from messaging platforms.
Spain's intelligence services are examining whether foreign actors sought to amplify the unrest, newspaper ABC reported, citing unnamed sources who said Russia could exploit the protests but that nothing so far points to Moscow having organised them.
Shopkeepers in Barcelona's city centre spent Monday repairing smashed storefronts, with most unable to reopen. Business owners have asked the city council and police for an early-warning system ahead of any gatherings that could turn violent.
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What we know
- 1 outlet · La Vanguardia A Barcelona juvenile judge rebuked parents of minors detained over Saturday's riots for not knowing what their children were doing.
- 1 outlet · n-tv About 130 people were detained, most of them minors; all have since been released pending proceedings.
- 1 outlet · n-tv Six minors were placed in detention and 20 under supervised liberty, barred from protests ahead of a planned 31 October gathering.
- 2+ outlets · La Razón, ABC Spanish intelligence is checking for possible foreign amplification of the unrest; officials say nothing points to Russia organising it.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed Whether the organisers behind the Blocus BCN Telegram channel have been identified
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The riots erupted amid a wider wave of "Blocus"-style protests, inspired by similar unrest in France, that have also been called in Madrid, Valencia, Alicante and Bilbao, though Barcelona saw the most serious violence. The unrest has become entangled with Spain's separate, more organised housing protest movement, which has filled Spanish squares since September and is preparing a general strike on 11 November, risking confusion between the two.
Catalonia's interior minister, Núria Parlon, said it was essential for families to know what their children were doing, underlining concern that minors made up most of those detained. The case has also become a flashpoint in Spanish politics ahead of a snap general election on 29 November, with parties trading blame over the unrest's causes.
Sources
Reported by 9 reports from 9 independent outlets in 4 countries.
- 20minutos: Todo sobre el accidente de bus en Barcelona: hasta 87 heridos, 65 plazas y una sobrecarga de pasajeros
- EFE: Los Mossos quieren rastrear en la red el origen de la protesta que calienta la precampaña
- Al Jazeera Europe: 80 injured after bus plunges down embankment near Barcelona
- La Razón: Los policías ven "mano extranjera" en los altercados de Barcelona
- La Vanguardia: La jueza de menores riñe a los padres por los disturbios de Barcelona
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- How many people were detained after the Barcelona riots?
- Catalan officials said about 130 people were detained, most of them minors.
- What did the judge say to parents?
- She told parents who said they did not know their children were rioting that this was exactly the problem, and that they should know where their children are.
- Is a new protest planned?
- Yes, a Telegram channel called Blocus BCN has called for a new gathering on the night of 31 October, Halloween.
This article was written with AI assistance from 10 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.