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| Barcelona terror attack: Police confirm deaths after van hits crowd in busy Las Ramblas area | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least one person has died and dozens have been injured after a white van ploughed into a crowd of people in Las Ramblas area of Barcelona, in what Catalan police say is a potentially ongoing terrorist attack. | |
| Death tolls from the attack on an area popular with tourists vary considerably. While the authorities have confirmed a single death and said 32 are injured, Spanish radio said as many as 13 had died. | |
| Two armed men were also reported to have entered a restaurant near the site of the crash and witnesses said the men had taken hostages, though that was not confirmed by authorities. Police are due to hold a press conference on the latest developments. | |
| Police say they have activated the protocols for a terror attack. | Police say they have activated the protocols for a terror attack. |
| The El Pais newspaper reported that the driver of the vehicle had fled on foot and that police are still looking for a man about 1.70 metres tall, wearing a white and blue stripped shirt. | The El Pais newspaper reported that the driver of the vehicle had fled on foot and that police are still looking for a man about 1.70 metres tall, wearing a white and blue stripped shirt. |
| The van entered the pedestrian street from Placa de Catalunya and reportedly zigzagged across the street before crashing into a kiosk on La Rambla. | |
| Emergency services are urging people to avoid the area and requested the closure of nearby train and metro stations. | Emergency services are urging people to avoid the area and requested the closure of nearby train and metro stations. |
| Ambulances and bomb disposal crews have gathered en masse at the scene. | Ambulances and bomb disposal crews have gathered en masse at the scene. |
| Ethan Spidey, 25, told The Independent there was a “stampede” as tourists and locals sprinted away from the scene of the attack. | Ethan Spidey, 25, told The Independent there was a “stampede” as tourists and locals sprinted away from the scene of the attack. |
| He said: “I was with my boyfriend just about to cross Las Ramblas and all of a sudden there was an immediate stampede and police shouting at people to run. | He said: “I was with my boyfriend just about to cross Las Ramblas and all of a sudden there was an immediate stampede and police shouting at people to run. |
| “I saw a young child knocked over and picked them up but everyone was just running. | “I saw a young child knocked over and picked them up but everyone was just running. |
| “There was a stampede in the streets alongside Las Ramblas as everyone tried to run away. People were running into shops and taking refuge in cafes. There was a lot of screaming." | “There was a stampede in the streets alongside Las Ramblas as everyone tried to run away. People were running into shops and taking refuge in cafes. There was a lot of screaming." |
| Daniela Goicoechea, who was walking along La Rambla with three children aged one, two and five, told The Independent: "People started running but we didn't know what was happening. There was a lot of people running. Then policemen began chasing people. We were lost, we ran with three babies and hid in a cafe nearby." | |
| Videos posted on social media shows dozens of people, seemingly injured, lying on the floor being cared for by emergency services. | Videos posted on social media shows dozens of people, seemingly injured, lying on the floor being cared for by emergency services. |
| Hospitals in Barcelona have called for blood donations following the attack to avoid potential shortages. | |
| Aamer Anwar was walking down Las Ramblas at the time, which he said was "jam-packed" with tourists. | Aamer Anwar was walking down Las Ramblas at the time, which he said was "jam-packed" with tourists. |
| He told Sky News: "All of a sudden, I just sort of heard a crashing noise and the whole street just started to run, screaming. I saw a woman right next to me screaming for her kids. | He told Sky News: "All of a sudden, I just sort of heard a crashing noise and the whole street just started to run, screaming. I saw a woman right next to me screaming for her kids. |
| "Police were very, very quickly there, police officers with guns, batons, everywhere. Then the whole street started getting pushed back." | "Police were very, very quickly there, police officers with guns, batons, everywhere. Then the whole street started getting pushed back." |
| A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are in contact with the Spanish authorities and seeking more information following an incident in Barcelona. | A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are in contact with the Spanish authorities and seeking more information following an incident in Barcelona. |
| "Anyone in the area should follow the advice of the emergency services." | "Anyone in the area should follow the advice of the emergency services." |
| Mayor of London Sadiq Khan described the events as "a barbaric terrorist attack" and said London stood in solidarity with Barcelona. | |
| He tweeted: "My thoughts are with the victims of this barbaric terrorist attack in the great city of Barcelona and with their brave emergency services. | |
| "London stands with Barcelona against the evil of terrorism." | |
| Pictures of the van show a white vehicle with the logo of the rental company Telefurgo on its side. | Pictures of the van show a white vehicle with the logo of the rental company Telefurgo on its side. |
| Spanish media have named the man who hired the van as Driss Oukabir. He reportedly rented the vehicle from the nearby town of Santa Perpetua de la Mogada. | |
| While full details of the incident were not immediately clear, since July 2016 vehicles have been used to ram into crowds in a series of militant attacks across Europe, killing well over 100 people in Nice, Berlin, London and Stockholm. | While full details of the incident were not immediately clear, since July 2016 vehicles have been used to ram into crowds in a series of militant attacks across Europe, killing well over 100 people in Nice, Berlin, London and Stockholm. |
| There have been no previous terror attacks claimed by Isis in Spain, where almost 200 people were killed by al-Qaeda inspired terrorists in the Madrid bombings in 2004. | There have been no previous terror attacks claimed by Isis in Spain, where almost 200 people were killed by al-Qaeda inspired terrorists in the Madrid bombings in 2004. |
| Spanish police have arrested several suspected Isis supporters in recent years, including a suspected recruiter detained on Mallorca who was accused of inciting terror attacks. | Spanish police have arrested several suspected Isis supporters in recent years, including a suspected recruiter detained on Mallorca who was accused of inciting terror attacks. |
| The terrorist group has issued repeated calls for followers to attack "disbelievers" in the West, including detailed guidance on how to carry out vehicle attacks in high-profile public places. | The terrorist group has issued repeated calls for followers to attack "disbelievers" in the West, including detailed guidance on how to carry out vehicle attacks in high-profile public places. |