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| Las Ramblas attack: van hits crowd in tourist area of Barcelona | Las Ramblas attack: van hits crowd in tourist area of Barcelona |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least 13 people are dead and dozens injured after a van crashed into a crowd of people in Barcelona’s Las Ramblas area. | At least 13 people are dead and dozens injured after a van crashed into a crowd of people in Barcelona’s Las Ramblas area. |
| Two people have been arrested by Spanish police, who are treating the incident as a terror attack. | |
| It was not immediately clear how many people were involved in the attack, which was claimed by Islamic State on its propaganda news channel. | |
| It was the latest attack in Europe to use a vehicle, following similar atrocities in Nice, Berlin and London that have claimed more than 100 lives in total. | It was the latest attack in Europe to use a vehicle, following similar atrocities in Nice, Berlin and London that have claimed more than 100 lives in total. |
| Television pictures showed people lying on the ground and a crashed van that had stopped on top of a Joan Míro mosaic halfway down Las Ramblas, an area popular with tourists. | Television pictures showed people lying on the ground and a crashed van that had stopped on top of a Joan Míro mosaic halfway down Las Ramblas, an area popular with tourists. |
| It reportedly entered the wide boulevard where it meets the Plaça de Catalunya, then drove towards the port area, meaning it would have covered more than 500 metres. | It reportedly entered the wide boulevard where it meets the Plaça de Catalunya, then drove towards the port area, meaning it would have covered more than 500 metres. |
| Spanish police have identified one of the suspects as Driss Oukabir, who is alleged to have rented the white Fiat van used in the attack. It is not clear if he is one of those who have been arrested. | |
| Oukabir is understood to be from North Africa but to possess a NIE, the identity document issued to foreigners who are resident in Spain. | |
| The van was hired in the municipality of Santa Perpetua de la Mogada, about 25km from the centre of Barcelona. | The van was hired in the municipality of Santa Perpetua de la Mogada, about 25km from the centre of Barcelona. |
| A second van linked to the attack – assumed to have been used as getaway car – has been found in the small town of Vic in Catalonia. | A second van linked to the attack – assumed to have been used as getaway car – has been found in the small town of Vic in Catalonia. |
| The Catalan interior minister put the death toll at 13, with 50 injured. Another official said 80 people had been taken to hospital. | The Catalan interior minister put the death toll at 13, with 50 injured. Another official said 80 people had been taken to hospital. |
| The prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, cancelled his holiday in Galicia, north-west Spain, to return to Madrid. The Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, and the mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, also cancelled their holidays and were returning to the city. The Catalan vice-president, Oriol Junqueras, said the regional government would hold an urgent meeting. | The prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, cancelled his holiday in Galicia, north-west Spain, to return to Madrid. The Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, and the mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, also cancelled their holidays and were returning to the city. The Catalan vice-president, Oriol Junqueras, said the regional government would hold an urgent meeting. |
| Puigdemont has called for “maximum caution” in the wake of the attack. He added that “all the attention” should be on the victims of the attack. | Puigdemont has called for “maximum caution” in the wake of the attack. He added that “all the attention” should be on the victims of the attack. |
| According to early reports, the vehicle sped down the centre of the 1km-long road, which is usually packed with people, until it hit a newspaper kiosk and stopped. | According to early reports, the vehicle sped down the centre of the 1km-long road, which is usually packed with people, until it hit a newspaper kiosk and stopped. |
| Witnesses spoke of panic and seeing people covered in blood. Several pushchairs could be seen abandoned at the side of the street. | Witnesses spoke of panic and seeing people covered in blood. Several pushchairs could be seen abandoned at the side of the street. |
| Jordi Lino, who was on a bus going down Las Ramblas, said: “First I saw people running and then the van. There were injured people in the middle of the Ramblas.” | Jordi Lino, who was on a bus going down Las Ramblas, said: “First I saw people running and then the van. There were injured people in the middle of the Ramblas.” |
| Lourdes Porcar told TV3 she saw the van running people over. “It was going very fast, without caring about who was in its way,” she said. | Lourdes Porcar told TV3 she saw the van running people over. “It was going very fast, without caring about who was in its way,” she said. |
| Police discounted reports that an armed man was holed up in a Turkish restaurant near Las Ramblas. People were advised to follow official sources for updates. | Police discounted reports that an armed man was holed up in a Turkish restaurant near Las Ramblas. People were advised to follow official sources for updates. |
| Metro stations and shops close to site of the crash were closed. | Metro stations and shops close to site of the crash were closed. |
| The spokeswoman for a chain of 10 restaurants in the area said that about 600 people were stuck inside their establishments waiting for permission from the police to leave. | The spokeswoman for a chain of 10 restaurants in the area said that about 600 people were stuck inside their establishments waiting for permission from the police to leave. |
| Catalan emergency services said people should stay away from the area around Plaça de Catalunya. Police have also asked people to communicate via social media and messaging instead of phone calls, as mobile telephone coverage is saturated. | Catalan emergency services said people should stay away from the area around Plaça de Catalunya. Police have also asked people to communicate via social media and messaging instead of phone calls, as mobile telephone coverage is saturated. |
| Mobile phone footage shows panicked, screaming tourists fleeing through the narrow streets beside Las Ramblas. | Mobile phone footage shows panicked, screaming tourists fleeing through the narrow streets beside Las Ramblas. |
| Las Ramblas, a street of stalls and shops that cuts through the centre of Barcelona, is one of the city’s top tourist destinations. People walk down a wide, pedestrianised path in the centre of the street, but cars can travel on either side. | Las Ramblas, a street of stalls and shops that cuts through the centre of Barcelona, is one of the city’s top tourist destinations. People walk down a wide, pedestrianised path in the centre of the street, but cars can travel on either side. |
| Spain has so far been spared the kind of extremist violence that has occurred recently in France, Belgium and Germany, but it was hit by what is still Europe’s deadliest jihadi attack in March 2004, when bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people in an attack claimed by al-Qaida-inspired extremists. | Spain has so far been spared the kind of extremist violence that has occurred recently in France, Belgium and Germany, but it was hit by what is still Europe’s deadliest jihadi attack in March 2004, when bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people in an attack claimed by al-Qaida-inspired extremists. |
| Terrorists have turned vehicles into weapons in France, Germany and the UK in the last year. Last July, 86 people were killed in Nice when a 19-ton truck mowed down people on the beach promenade. A Christmas market in Berlin was the scene of a similar atrocity in December, when 12 people were killed by a truck packed with steel. While, in London a speeding van hit pedestrians before attackers launched a knife attack in cafes and restaurants at Borough market in June. Eight people died in the attack, while at least 48 were wounded. | Terrorists have turned vehicles into weapons in France, Germany and the UK in the last year. Last July, 86 people were killed in Nice when a 19-ton truck mowed down people on the beach promenade. A Christmas market in Berlin was the scene of a similar atrocity in December, when 12 people were killed by a truck packed with steel. While, in London a speeding van hit pedestrians before attackers launched a knife attack in cafes and restaurants at Borough market in June. Eight people died in the attack, while at least 48 were wounded. |
| As details of the attack emerged, world leaders offered condolences. “It is with profound sorrow and anguish that I have learnt of the terrorist attack that has struck at the heart of Barcelona this afternoon,” said Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European commission. “I hold a special thought for the heroic people who responded by running towards danger to help others and to the security forces who are working to keep the population safe. The commission is at the full disposal of the authorities for any help or assistance necessary.” | As details of the attack emerged, world leaders offered condolences. “It is with profound sorrow and anguish that I have learnt of the terrorist attack that has struck at the heart of Barcelona this afternoon,” said Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European commission. “I hold a special thought for the heroic people who responded by running towards danger to help others and to the security forces who are working to keep the population safe. The commission is at the full disposal of the authorities for any help or assistance necessary.” |
| British prime minister Theresa May said: “My thoughts are with the victims of today’s terrible attack in Barcelona and the emergency services responding to this ongoing incident. The UK stands with Spain against terror.” | British prime minister Theresa May said: “My thoughts are with the victims of today’s terrible attack in Barcelona and the emergency services responding to this ongoing incident. The UK stands with Spain against terror.” |
| Donald Trump responded by reviving an already debunked anecdote about a US general dipping bullets in pig’s blood to fight Islamic militants over a hundred years ago. “Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught,” the US president tweeted. “There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!” | |
| US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said his country stood by to help, adding that allies were resolved “to find terrorists around the world” and bring them to justice. | US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said his country stood by to help, adding that allies were resolved “to find terrorists around the world” and bring them to justice. |