This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/17/what-happened-in-barcelona-las-ramblas-attack

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Barcelona van attack – a visual guide Barcelona van attack – a visual guide
(about 1 hour later)
A van drove into a busy tourist district Barcelona: A van drove into a busy tourist district
At about 5pm local time on Thursday, a white Fiat van veered off the road and into a crowd outside the Plaça de Catalunya metro station. The van continued down the pedestrian concourse in Las Ramblas, a popular area in the heart of Barcelona, for more than 500 metres while crashing into pedestrians until it hit a newspaper kiosk. At about 5pm local time on Thursday, a white Fiat van veered off the road and into a crowd outside the Plaça de Catalunya metro station in Barcelona.
The van continued down the pedestrian concourse in Las Ramblas for more than 500 metres while crashing into pedestrians until it hit a newspaper kiosk.
The area of Las Ramblas is one of the city’s favourite tourist destinations. People walk down the wide, pedestrianised path in the centre of the street, but cars can travel on either side.
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.
A photograph released by the public broadcaster RTVE showed people lying on the ground in the street, apparently being helped by police and others.A photograph released by the public broadcaster RTVE showed people lying on the ground in the street, apparently being helped by police and others.
The driver fled the scene and a second van is found
The driver of the vehicle fled on foot leaving the smashed van at the foot of a mosaic by artist Joan Miro.The driver of the vehicle fled on foot leaving the smashed van at the foot of a mosaic by artist Joan Miro.
At about 6.30pm in the town of Vic, 80km north of Barcelona, police find a second van. Police say the van was hired at the same time as the Fiat used in the attack.
Catalan police tweeted: “We can’t confirm a motive for the events that have taken place in Barcelona, but we have activated the protocol used to respond to attacks.”
There have been two arrests. Neither are the van driver, who is still being sought. Police believe the pair were linked to the Barcelona attack and the blast in Alcanar.
Thirteen people have been killed. About 100 people were injured and 15 are in serious condition. The injured include 26 French, four Australians, three Dutch, and three Greeks and one Chinese. At least 18 nationalities were affected, including Venezuela, Ireland, Peru and Algeria, according to Spain’s civil protection agency.Thirteen people have been killed. About 100 people were injured and 15 are in serious condition. The injured include 26 French, four Australians, three Dutch, and three Greeks and one Chinese. At least 18 nationalities were affected, including Venezuela, Ireland, Peru and Algeria, according to Spain’s civil protection agency.
A popular tourist district Elsewhere in Catalonia
The area of Las Ramblas comprises a long pedestrian concourse made up of a series of ramblas, flanked on either side by carriageways for vehicles. It is one of the city’s favourite tourist destinations. People walk down the wide, pedestrianised path in the centre of the street, but cars can travel on either side. At about 1.15 am on Friday, a car drove through a police checkpoint in Cambrils, a coastal town 120km south of Barcelona. Police gave chase and, after a pursuit in which several bystanders were injured, the car overturned on the seafront road. Five people emerged from the car and began a shoot-out with the police in which four of them were killed. The fifth fled, was pursued by helicopter, stabbed bystanders and later died of his injuries. The Catalan interior minister ruled out a hypothesis that one of the five was the driver of the Barcelona van. Police say rather that they believe the five were on their way to Barcelona to commit further atrocities. The suspects were wearing ‘explosive vests’ which turned out to be false.
The boulevard also forms the border between Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter and the El Raval neighbourhood, both part of the historic old city and considered tourist hotspots. On Wednesday night, there were two explosions in Alcanar, a small town further along the coast to the south of Cambrils. One person died. Police now say they believe the explosion happened when terrorists preparing an attack on Barcelona mishandled their improvised devices. Another man was arrested at the scene and is now being questioned.
To the north of Barcelona a second van apparently linked to the Las Ramblas attack was found in the town of Vic at about 6.30pm on Thursday. Police had said that they believed the attackers had hired a getaway van as well as the van that was used in the attack.
In Ripoll, about 100km to the north of Barcelona in the foothills of the Pyrenees, police arrested a 28-year-old Moroccan man, Driss Oukabir, on Thursday night. Reports suggest his name was given in hiring the van, but police say he was not the driver, who they believe is still at large.
Attacks in EuropeAttacks in Europe
Up to now Spain had been spared the recent extremist violence that has occurred in France, Belgium, Germany and the UK.Up to now Spain had been spared the recent extremist violence that has occurred in France, Belgium, Germany and the UK.
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.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.
Vehicles have been prominently used across Europe in extremist attacks since July 2016, with more than 100 people killed in London, Nice, Stockholm and Berlin.Vehicles have been prominently used across Europe in extremist attacks since July 2016, with more than 100 people killed in London, Nice, Stockholm and Berlin.