Nearly 130 people were arrested in Barcelona following a weekend of destructive street disturbances, with judicial authorities confirming that 74 of the detained individuals are minors, according to reporting by ara.cat.
Detained Minors Face Strict Judicial Measures
Of the 74 minors taken into custody following Saturday night’s protests, the Barcelona Prosecutor’s Office requested the internment of six youths, with three already placed in closed-reg régimen facilities by judicial order, metropoliabierta.cat reported. Judges across Barcelona’s juvenile courts have imposed precautionary measures including supervised freedom and strict prohibitions against attending public demonstrations. The Tribunal Superior de Justícia de Catalunya (TSJC) confirmed that the most severe cases handled by juvenile magistrates have been processed within legal limits, as Spanish law dictates that no minor can remain detained for more than 48 hours without a formal judicial decision.
One 15-year-old participant, speaking anonymously outside the courthouse alongside distressed parents, described being caught in the unfolding chaos near Plaça Catalunya after tracking events through TikTok.
Parlon stated publicly that Interior will judicially urge the closing of mobile messaging groups used to convene the youths. Metropoliabierta.cat noted that alongside the juvenile detainees, 54 adults were also brought before the city’s duty courts, resulting in provisional freedom for 30 individuals subject to mandatory periodic court appearances, while 21 cases awaited formal resolution.
Police Monitor TikTok and Telegram for Demonstration Coordination
Investigators from the Mossos d’Esquadra have turned their attention toward anonymous TikTok accounts and decentralized Telegram groups used to coordinate the demonstrations. While weekend calls yielded minimal physical turnout in regional hubs like Girona, Granollers, and Mataró—where police identified groups burning cardboard—law enforcement officials remain on high alert as new online banners surface. Interior authorities announced plans to seek judicial orders shutting down specific messaging channels utilized for mobilization, though police acknowledge that defunct groups are frequently replaced by newly formed ones.
The economic toll on Barcelona’s retail sector prompted the Barcelona City Council to establish a €500,000 emergency fund on Monday to assist merchants affected around Plaça Catalunya, ara.cat reported. Retailers near Plaça d’Espanya and commercial corridors have increasingly shuttered storefronts early or reinforced windows as a precaution against announced gatherings. Police continue analyzing security camera footage from commercial establishments to identify additional participants who evaded immediate arrest, while investigators attempt to map out whether structured organizers lie behind the sudden wave of urban unrest.
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