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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2017/aug/17/barcelona-attack-van-driven-into-crowd-in-las-ramblas-district
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| Barcelona attack: 13 confirmed dead after van hits Las Ramblas crowds – latest updates | Barcelona attack: 13 confirmed dead after van hits Las Ramblas crowds – latest updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 8.37pm BST | |
| 20:37 | |
| Two people have been arrested | |
| Catalonia’s regional president Carles Puigdemont says there have been two arrests after Barcelona van attack. | |
| 8.35pm BST | |
| 20:35 | |
| 8.23pm BST | |
| 20:23 | |
| Julian Borger | |
| Donald Trump responded to the Barcelona attack be reviving an already debunked anecdote about a US general dipping bullets in pig’s blood to fight Islamic militants over a hundred years ago. | |
| After a relatively conventional response to the attack in which he went on to Twitter to call on the people of Barcelona to be “tough and strong” and offer US help, he posted another, more cryptic tweet 45 minutes later saying: “Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!” | |
| Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years! | |
| The tweet echoed a highly dubious claim Trump made at an election rally in South Carolina in February 2016, in which he talked admiringly about a counter-insurgency in the Philippines conducted by General John Pershing between 1909 and 1913, when he was governor of Moro province. | |
| He said at the rally: | |
| They were having terrorism problems, just like we do. And he caught 50 terrorists who did tremendous damage and killed many people. And he took the 50 terrorists, and he took 50 men and he dipped 50 bullets in pigs’ blood — you heard that, right? He took 50 bullets, and he dipped them in pigs’ blood. And he had his men load his rifles, and he lined up the 50 people, and they shot 49 of those people. And the 50th person, he said: You go back to your people, and you tell them what happened. And for 25 years, there wasn’t a problem. Okay? Twenty-five years, there wasn’t a problem. | |
| This account of Pershing’s actions has circulated on the internet since 2001, but US historians say there is very little if any evidence to support it. | |
| 8.16pm BST | |
| 20:16 | |
| What we know so far about the Las Ramblas terror attack | |
| A white Fiat van was deliberately driven into pedestrians on one of Barcelona’s most popular boulevards late on Thursday afternoon, killing 13 people in what Spanish police called a “terrorist attack”. | |
| Thirteen people have been killed, and at least 50 injured, Catalonia’s interior minister Joaquim Forn has confirmed. | |
| 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. | |
| 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 which is very popular with tourists. | |
| Witnesses described scenes of chaos and panic as hundreds of people tried to flee. | |
| Around 80 people sheltered in a church near the incident, while others hid in shops and restaurants. | |
| Police in the Spanish region of Catalonia where Barcelona is located said on Twitter they have arrested one man. | |
| Spanish police have released a photograph of the man alleged to have rented the van used in the attack. He is identified as Driss Oukabir. | |
| Initially there were reports that one suspect had fled to a nearby bar, but this was later denied. | |
| One witness told Spain’s TVE television he saw the suspect when the van stopped. “It was a person in their 20s, he is very young, brown hair, a slim face.” | |
| Emergency services quickly arrived on the scene and cordoned off the area, with several ambulances and police vehicles responding. | |
| The city also closed down metro stations in the area, with authorities telling people to stay away from the area. | |
| The prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, cancelled his holiday in Galicia, north-west Spain, to return to Madrid. He tweeted that he was in contact with the local authorities, saying the priority was to help the victims and facilitate the work of security forces. | |
| World leaders have condemned the attack and sent condolences to the victims. Theresa May said: “The UK stands with Spain against terror.” | |
| Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, said he is doing all he can to identify whether any British people need help in Barcelona. | |
| 7.59pm BST | 7.59pm BST |
| 19:59 | 19:59 |
| Carmen Fishwick | Carmen Fishwick |
| If you witnessed the attack in Las Ramblas, or have been affected by it, you can share your experiences with us. | If you witnessed the attack in Las Ramblas, or have been affected by it, you can share your experiences with us. |
| You can share eyewitness accounts, photos and videos or news tips via GuardianWitness or via WhatsApp by adding the contact +44(0)7867825056. You can also email: carmen.fishwick@theguardian.com | You can share eyewitness accounts, photos and videos or news tips via GuardianWitness or via WhatsApp by adding the contact +44(0)7867825056. You can also email: carmen.fishwick@theguardian.com |
| We’ll use a selection of responses in our reporting. | We’ll use a selection of responses in our reporting. |
| Please think about your security first when recording and sharing your content and follow the advice of local authorities. | Please think about your security first when recording and sharing your content and follow the advice of local authorities. |
| 7.56pm BST | 7.56pm BST |
| 19:56 | 19:56 |
| Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel react to the attack | Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel react to the attack |
| French president Emmanuel Macron has voiced solidarity with Spain. | French president Emmanuel Macron has voiced solidarity with Spain. |
| “We remain united and determined,” he said on Twitter, describing it as a “tragic attack”. | “We remain united and determined,” he said on Twitter, describing it as a “tragic attack”. |
| He later tweeted in Spanish: “Solidarity with Barcelona. We are by your side.” | He later tweeted in Spanish: “Solidarity with Barcelona. We are by your side.” |
| Toutes mes pensées et la solidarité de la France pour les victimes de la tragique attaque à #Barcelone. Nous restons unis et déterminés. | Toutes mes pensées et la solidarité de la France pour les victimes de la tragique attaque à #Barcelone. Nous restons unis et déterminés. |
| Solidaridad con #Barcelona. Estamos a su lado. 🇫🇷🇪🇸 | Solidaridad con #Barcelona. Estamos a su lado. 🇫🇷🇪🇸 |
| The office of German chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned the “revolting attack” in Barcelona. | The office of German chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned the “revolting attack” in Barcelona. |
| Her spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a tweet: “We are thinking with profound sadness of the victims of the revolting attack in Barcelona - with solidarity and frienship alongside the Spanish people.” | Her spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a tweet: “We are thinking with profound sadness of the victims of the revolting attack in Barcelona - with solidarity and frienship alongside the Spanish people.” |
| In tiefer Trauer sind wir bei den Opfern des widerwärtigen Anschlags in #Barcelona - in Solidarität + Freundschaft an d. Seite der Spanier. | In tiefer Trauer sind wir bei den Opfern des widerwärtigen Anschlags in #Barcelona - in Solidarität + Freundschaft an d. Seite der Spanier. |
| 7.44pm BST | 7.44pm BST |
| 19:44 | 19:44 |
| Jason Burke | Jason Burke |
| Jason Burke has written a snap analysis on the events in Barcelona, focusing on how painfully familiar the nature of the attack is. | Jason Burke has written a snap analysis on the events in Barcelona, focusing on how painfully familiar the nature of the attack is. |
| ... The use of vehicles as weapons is now an established tactic by extremists, one of the dozen or so employed in the last two decades that should be considered a standard part of the terrorist arsenal. In the last 13 months there have been similar attacks in France, Germany, Sweden and the UK. | ... The use of vehicles as weapons is now an established tactic by extremists, one of the dozen or so employed in the last two decades that should be considered a standard part of the terrorist arsenal. In the last 13 months there have been similar attacks in France, Germany, Sweden and the UK. |
| A woman was killed by a car driven at speed by a rightwing extremist in the US last week in slightly different circumstances. | A woman was killed by a car driven at speed by a rightwing extremist in the US last week in slightly different circumstances. |
| The precise motivation and the identity of the Barcelona attackers will become clear in the next few hours. So far there has been no claim of responsibility from Islamic State. These can take between eight and 48 hours, if they come at all. In recent months, such claims have become highly unreliable. Individuals close to Isis and active on social media have been celebrating the Barcelona attack, but this does not indicate a connection to the group. | The precise motivation and the identity of the Barcelona attackers will become clear in the next few hours. So far there has been no claim of responsibility from Islamic State. These can take between eight and 48 hours, if they come at all. In recent months, such claims have become highly unreliable. Individuals close to Isis and active on social media have been celebrating the Barcelona attack, but this does not indicate a connection to the group. |
| Tactics spread among militants when they are seen to work. There is no skill needed to drive a vehicle into a crowd, nor any difficulty involved in obtaining one. This makes a car, van or lorry an ideal weapon for today’s terrorists, who are often inspired by a group but are not actually part of it, and for the most part, lack the training and means necessary for more complex attacks. | Tactics spread among militants when they are seen to work. There is no skill needed to drive a vehicle into a crowd, nor any difficulty involved in obtaining one. This makes a car, van or lorry an ideal weapon for today’s terrorists, who are often inspired by a group but are not actually part of it, and for the most part, lack the training and means necessary for more complex attacks. |
| Read the full article here: | Read the full article here: |
| 7.37pm BST | 7.37pm BST |
| 19:37 | 19:37 |
| Police release image of suspect | Police release image of suspect |
| Spanish police have released a photograph of the man alleged to have rented the van used in the attack. He is identified as Driss Oukabir. | Spanish police have released a photograph of the man alleged to have rented the van used in the attack. He is identified as Driss Oukabir. |
| It is not clear if it is the same person who has been arrested in Vic. | It is not clear if it is the same person who has been arrested in Vic. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.42pm BST | at 7.42pm BST |
| 7.31pm BST | 7.31pm BST |
| 19:31 | 19:31 |
| Maeve Shearlaw | Maeve Shearlaw |
| Facebook has activated its safety check tool to enable people in Barcelona to let their friends and relatives know they are safe. | Facebook has activated its safety check tool to enable people in Barcelona to let their friends and relatives know they are safe. |
| Facebook has activated Safetycheck 4 users that are in #BCN, so you can inform friends & family that you are wellhttps://t.co/rzji0W3BYt | Facebook has activated Safetycheck 4 users that are in #BCN, so you can inform friends & family that you are wellhttps://t.co/rzji0W3BYt |
| Over 1,000 people have also used the service to offer help to the victims, with offers ranging from water to shelter and translation. | Over 1,000 people have also used the service to offer help to the victims, with offers ranging from water to shelter and translation. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.43pm BST | at 7.43pm BST |
| 7.29pm BST | 7.29pm BST |
| 19:29 | 19:29 |
| Theresa May sends condolences to Spain | Theresa May sends condolences to Spain |
| Theresa May said the UK “stands with Spain against terror” following the deadly attack in Barcelona. | Theresa May said the UK “stands with Spain against terror” following the deadly attack in Barcelona. |
| The prime minister condemned the “terrible” assault, which follows a spate of similar attacks in London in recent months. | The prime minister condemned the “terrible” assault, which follows a spate of similar attacks in London in recent months. |
| She said: | She 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. | 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. |
| 7.26pm BST | 7.26pm BST |
| 19:26 | 19:26 |
| Official death toll is now 13 | Official death toll is now 13 |
| Thirteen people have been killed, and at least 50 injured, Catalonia’s interior minister Joaquim Forn has confirmed. | Thirteen people have been killed, and at least 50 injured, Catalonia’s interior minister Joaquim Forn has confirmed. |
| La meva més rotunda condemna a l'atemptat terrorista de Barcelona. Podem confirmar 13 morts i més de 50 ferits. @mossos @solercampins pic.twitter.com/va0IlQejb0 | La meva més rotunda condemna a l'atemptat terrorista de Barcelona. Podem confirmar 13 morts i més de 50 ferits. @mossos @solercampins pic.twitter.com/va0IlQejb0 |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.44pm BST | at 7.44pm BST |
| 7.19pm BST | 7.19pm BST |
| 19:19 | 19:19 |
| Catalan police confirm arrest | Catalan police confirm arrest |
| Sam Jones | Sam Jones |
| A man has been arrested in connection with the van attack, local police confirmed on Thursday evening. | A man has been arrested in connection with the van attack, local police confirmed on Thursday evening. |
| In a tweet, the police also dismissed reports that a suspect had holed himself up in a bar off Las Ramblas. | In a tweet, the police also dismissed reports that a suspect had holed himself up in a bar off Las Ramblas. |
| No hi ha ningú atrinxerat a cap bar del centre de Barcelona. Hem detingut un home i ho tractem com atac terrorista #Barcelona #Rambles | No hi ha ningú atrinxerat a cap bar del centre de Barcelona. Hem detingut un home i ho tractem com atac terrorista #Barcelona #Rambles |
| 7.17pm BST | 7.17pm BST |
| 19:17 | 19:17 |
| Joseph Harker | Joseph Harker |
| Eyewitnesses in central Barcelona described a scene of “total chaos” in the immediate aftermath of the attack. | Eyewitnesses in central Barcelona described a scene of “total chaos” in the immediate aftermath of the attack. |
| Patrick Tuenter, 20, a law student from Nijmegen, Netherlands, was on the first day of his holiday. | Patrick Tuenter, 20, a law student from Nijmegen, Netherlands, was on the first day of his holiday. |
| Our hotel, the Pension Solarium, is about 200metres from the scene of the crash. We were coming back from the beach and saw a scene of total chaos. People were screaming, there were a lot of wounded people. We saw a white van stopped in the middle of the street - the part where pedestrians walk down. It had driven right down the middle and thrown people onto the cobbled part of the street, down the sides. | Our hotel, the Pension Solarium, is about 200metres from the scene of the crash. We were coming back from the beach and saw a scene of total chaos. People were screaming, there were a lot of wounded people. We saw a white van stopped in the middle of the street - the part where pedestrians walk down. It had driven right down the middle and thrown people onto the cobbled part of the street, down the sides. |
| Jesse Matenan, 20, also a student from Nijmegen described the rumours flying around the hotel as people try to work out what is happening. | Jesse Matenan, 20, also a student from Nijmegen described the rumours flying around the hotel as people try to work out what is happening. |
| As we walked back to our hotel we saw and heard ambulances and police cars rushing by – over 30 of them within minutes. We saw lots of injured people fleeing the scene. We’re now hearing rumours that there was a second van which got away and is driving round with two people in it. | As we walked back to our hotel we saw and heard ambulances and police cars rushing by – over 30 of them within minutes. We saw lots of injured people fleeing the scene. We’re now hearing rumours that there was a second van which got away and is driving round with two people in it. |
| 7.13pm BST | 7.13pm BST |
| 19:13 | 19:13 |
| Jessica Elgot | Jessica Elgot |
| Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, has tweeted about the attacks. He said he is doing all he can to identify whether any British people need help in Barcelona. | Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, has tweeted about the attacks. He said he is doing all he can to identify whether any British people need help in Barcelona. |
| Concerned and saddened by #Barcelona attack. Our thoughts are with those affected. Doing all we can to identify whether Brits need help. | Concerned and saddened by #Barcelona attack. Our thoughts are with those affected. Doing all we can to identify whether Brits need help. |
| The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for UK citizens in Barcelona, warning them to avoid the area. | The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for UK citizens in Barcelona, warning them to avoid the area. |
| “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,” an FCO spokesperson 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,” an FCO spokesperson said. |
| On the travel advice page for Spain on the FCO website, the updated advice says: | On the travel advice page for Spain on the FCO website, the updated advice says: |
| The British Embassy in Madrid and Consulate General in Barcelona are in contact with local authorities and urgently seeking further information following reports of an incident in central Barcelona. | The British Embassy in Madrid and Consulate General in Barcelona are in contact with local authorities and urgently seeking further information following reports of an incident in central Barcelona. |
| Local authorities have advised people to stay inside and stay away from the Las Ramblas area of the city. If you’re in the immediate area you should take care and follow the advice of the local security authorities; press reports suggest that some public transport, particularly the metro, has been affected. | Local authorities have advised people to stay inside and stay away from the Las Ramblas area of the city. If you’re in the immediate area you should take care and follow the advice of the local security authorities; press reports suggest that some public transport, particularly the metro, has been affected. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.22pm BST | at 7.22pm BST |
| 7.07pm BST | 7.07pm BST |
| 19:07 | 19:07 |
| Donald Trump condemns the terror attack | Donald Trump condemns the terror attack |
| Donald Trump has condemned the terror attack on Las Ramblas: | Donald Trump has condemned the terror attack on Las Ramblas: |
| The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you! | The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you! |
| The first lady has also sent a tweet: | The first lady has also sent a tweet: |
| Thoughts and prayers to #Barcelona | Thoughts and prayers to #Barcelona |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.12pm BST | at 7.12pm BST |
| 7.04pm BST | 7.04pm BST |
| 19:04 | 19:04 |
| An eyewitness has described the painstaking search for suspects. | An eyewitness has described the painstaking search for suspects. |
| John Ward, who lives on Las Ramblas, says the area is still on lockdown. | John Ward, who lives on Las Ramblas, says the area is still on lockdown. |
| He told the BBC: | He told the BBC: |
| There’s a very heavy police presence and what they’ve been doing is going from establishment to establishment knocking on the doors, knocking on the shutters. | There’s a very heavy police presence and what they’ve been doing is going from establishment to establishment knocking on the doors, knocking on the shutters. |
| People have opened the shutters, they’ve been brought out on to the street and once it’s been established that they’re not the people they are looking for, they’ve been escorted away from this particular area. | People have opened the shutters, they’ve been brought out on to the street and once it’s been established that they’re not the people they are looking for, they’ve been escorted away from this particular area. |
| Now nobody is moving on La Ramblas unless they’re under police escort. | Now nobody is moving on La Ramblas unless they’re under police escort. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.11pm BST | at 7.11pm BST |
| 7.01pm BST | 7.01pm BST |
| 19:01 | 19:01 |
| Reports of arrest and identification of suspect | Reports of arrest and identification of suspect |
| Local media is reporting that one person has been arrested in relation to the attack. | Local media is reporting that one person has been arrested in relation to the attack. |
| Separate reports said the Guardia Civil have identified the suspect thought to have hired the white Fiat van used in the attack. According to those reports, he is understood to be from north Africa but to possess an NIE, the identity document issued to foreigners who are resident in Spain. | Separate reports said the Guardia Civil have identified the suspect thought to have hired the white Fiat van used in the attack. According to those reports, he is understood to be from north Africa but to possess an NIE, the identity document issued to foreigners who are resident in Spain. |
| It is not clear whether the reports referred to the same person. | It is not clear whether the reports referred to the same person. |
| A second van linked to the attack – assumed to have been used as a 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 a getaway car – has been found in the small town of Vic in Catalonia. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.05pm BST | at 7.05pm BST |
| 6.59pm BST | 6.59pm BST |
| 18:59 | 18:59 |
| Here’s another shot of the crashed van, taken from a video posted online. | Here’s another shot of the crashed van, taken from a video posted online. |
| 6.56pm BST | 6.56pm BST |
| 18:56 | 18:56 |
| The official death toll for the van attack still stands at one, although local media are reporting that as many as 13 could be dead. Police say 32 people have been injured, 10 of them seriously. | The official death toll for the van attack still stands at one, although local media are reporting that as many as 13 could be dead. Police say 32 people have been injured, 10 of them seriously. |
| Catalonia’s interior minister Joaquim Forn told reporters: “Unfortunately the number of fatalities will likely rise.” | Catalonia’s interior minister Joaquim Forn told reporters: “Unfortunately the number of fatalities will likely rise.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.59pm BST | at 6.59pm BST |