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| Eyewitness accounts of the Spain terror attacks | Eyewitness accounts of the Spain terror attacks |
| (21 days 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. Hours later, in the seaside town of Cambrils, a second vehicle hit pedestrians leaving one dead and six wounded. | At least 13 people are dead and dozens injured after a van crashed into a crowd of people in Barcelona’s Las Ramblas area. Hours later, in the seaside town of Cambrils, a second vehicle hit pedestrians leaving one dead and six wounded. |
| We spoke to witnesses of the attacks. | We spoke to witnesses of the attacks. |
| ‘At first I didn’t realise the gravity of the situation’ – Max Gayler, 23, Birmingham | ‘At first I didn’t realise the gravity of the situation’ – Max Gayler, 23, Birmingham |
| I live close to the centre and was walking to see a friend on the other side of the city when I heard screaming, lots of it. Half a second later people started coming down a really narrow ally off Las Rambas. Everyone was yelling at me and telling me to run. Then the police turned up and they were also telling people to run down the street. | I live close to the centre and was walking to see a friend on the other side of the city when I heard screaming, lots of it. Half a second later people started coming down a really narrow ally off Las Rambas. Everyone was yelling at me and telling me to run. Then the police turned up and they were also telling people to run down the street. |
| I was very lucky I didn’t see anyone initially hit but as I walking away I went past one of the smaller local health centres. I saw someone surrounded by people. The person was completely indistinguishable, covered in a blue sheet with tubes poking out, they were surrounded by medics and police officers escorting them into the ambulance, trying to avoid attention. | I was very lucky I didn’t see anyone initially hit but as I walking away I went past one of the smaller local health centres. I saw someone surrounded by people. The person was completely indistinguishable, covered in a blue sheet with tubes poking out, they were surrounded by medics and police officers escorting them into the ambulance, trying to avoid attention. |
| When it happened you just join the crowd, the fear hits you and you just immediately need to get away. It feels surreal. You run for about 30 seconds and then stop and check to see if it’s real. Police were pushing people back. By the end of last night you could not get anywhere near the centre, everything was shut down. | When it happened you just join the crowd, the fear hits you and you just immediately need to get away. It feels surreal. You run for about 30 seconds and then stop and check to see if it’s real. Police were pushing people back. By the end of last night you could not get anywhere near the centre, everything was shut down. |
| The first thing I did was call my girlfriend and my family to let them know I was safe. At first I didn’t realise the gravity of the situation and hoped it was a false alarm. You just can’t imagine that something like this could be real until you’re face to face with the situation. | The first thing I did was call my girlfriend and my family to let them know I was safe. At first I didn’t realise the gravity of the situation and hoped it was a false alarm. You just can’t imagine that something like this could be real until you’re face to face with the situation. |
| Lots of people were stranded. I have a friend who was at the top of Las Ramblas in a cafe and they were locked in for two and a half hours. Hotels were keeping people in and helping people in whatever way they could. Some time in the night the police pushed the tape back and allowed people to access Las Ramblas again. | Lots of people were stranded. I have a friend who was at the top of Las Ramblas in a cafe and they were locked in for two and a half hours. Hotels were keeping people in and helping people in whatever way they could. Some time in the night the police pushed the tape back and allowed people to access Las Ramblas again. |
| The atmosphere on Friday was very strange – people were going about their businesses as if nothing had happened. It was very quiet. Barcelona is notoriously loud and never sleeps but lots of people are very quiet right now. | The atmosphere on Friday was very strange – people were going about their businesses as if nothing had happened. It was very quiet. Barcelona is notoriously loud and never sleeps but lots of people are very quiet right now. |
| ‘I was about 15ft away and it didn’t look real’ – Fitzroy Davies, 54, Wolverhampton | ‘I was about 15ft away and it didn’t look real’ – Fitzroy Davies, 54, Wolverhampton |
| Last night we went to a coaches’ meal and we were sitting at the table outside when four girls came up to us running and screaming. Two of them were crying, one was hysterical and the other was so scared she could not say anything. | Last night we went to a coaches’ meal and we were sitting at the table outside when four girls came up to us running and screaming. Two of them were crying, one was hysterical and the other was so scared she could not say anything. |
| They were running from a man wearing what appeared to be a suicide jacket but it looked fake. One of our colleagues, Winston, got up and saw people running past him and shouted: “Run, run.” | They were running from a man wearing what appeared to be a suicide jacket but it looked fake. One of our colleagues, Winston, got up and saw people running past him and shouted: “Run, run.” |
| That’s when I started filming what was happening. I didn’t run away because I was thinking – “if this guy gets away and they need evidence then I want to help”. I watch CSI and all those programmes that was one of the reasons why I did that. | That’s when I started filming what was happening. I didn’t run away because I was thinking – “if this guy gets away and they need evidence then I want to help”. I watch CSI and all those programmes that was one of the reasons why I did that. |
| It looked like he was wearing Coca Cola cans on him. I was about 15ft away and it didn’t look real. Within what felt like about 30 seconds the police came and shots were fired. The guy went down to the floor and then he came back up again. He was smiling. It looked like he was high on drugs. Then he was shot again and this time he didn’t get back up. | It looked like he was wearing Coca Cola cans on him. I was about 15ft away and it didn’t look real. Within what felt like about 30 seconds the police came and shots were fired. The guy went down to the floor and then he came back up again. He was smiling. It looked like he was high on drugs. Then he was shot again and this time he didn’t get back up. |
| I wasn’t scared during the whole event. But afterwards I spoke to my wife and she was mad at me ... she said anything could have happened. | I wasn’t scared during the whole event. But afterwards I spoke to my wife and she was mad at me ... she said anything could have happened. |
| I am in Cambrils because I came out here to do a judo training camp. Luckily none of the judo team were there. The older girls have gone to judo today but the younger ones may go this afternoon if they are feeling better. | I am in Cambrils because I came out here to do a judo training camp. Luckily none of the judo team were there. The older girls have gone to judo today but the younger ones may go this afternoon if they are feeling better. |
| I am OK today, I feel alright about it. There’s nothing much can do about it. I just look at it like we are here in Spain and may as well just carry on. This is going to be the best place to be now as there will be more security. | I am OK today, I feel alright about it. There’s nothing much can do about it. I just look at it like we are here in Spain and may as well just carry on. This is going to be the best place to be now as there will be more security. |
| ‘I know how lucky we were’ – Madeleine Feeny, 31 | ‘I know how lucky we were’ – Madeleine Feeny, 31 |
| I was on my way home when I walked straight into a pack, hundreds, of running, screaming people with panic on their faces. I turned and ran with them. Some were ducking into shops and hiding. The atmosphere was pure fear. I’m staying on the other side of Las Ramblas, so I tried to cross another way and was turned back. I entered the Plaça de Catalunya and another pack of terrified people ran towards me, and flooded down the steps of the department store El Cortes Inglés. | I was on my way home when I walked straight into a pack, hundreds, of running, screaming people with panic on their faces. I turned and ran with them. Some were ducking into shops and hiding. The atmosphere was pure fear. I’m staying on the other side of Las Ramblas, so I tried to cross another way and was turned back. I entered the Plaça de Catalunya and another pack of terrified people ran towards me, and flooded down the steps of the department store El Cortes Inglés. |
| I didn’t wait to see what they were fleeing, I ran with them and crouched behind a bin in a pizza or panini-making stand in the food hall. A kind Catalan woman put her arm around me. I was really shaky and there was a lot of people down there. I think they locked us in. For ages, we were all too scared to leave. I started getting messages from people. Such a weird thing to say I’m hiding in a department store. It was really scary, I was imagining gunmen, as we’re trained to think, and I had a racing heart. I plucked up the courage to dash back to the language school. We were locked in until it closed at 9pm. Helicopters circled and sirens wailed as we sat stunned on the terrace answering messages from home and drinking beer. I know how lucky we were. I walked home a long way round to find my street cordoned off, swarming with police. | I didn’t wait to see what they were fleeing, I ran with them and crouched behind a bin in a pizza or panini-making stand in the food hall. A kind Catalan woman put her arm around me. I was really shaky and there was a lot of people down there. I think they locked us in. For ages, we were all too scared to leave. I started getting messages from people. Such a weird thing to say I’m hiding in a department store. It was really scary, I was imagining gunmen, as we’re trained to think, and I had a racing heart. I plucked up the courage to dash back to the language school. We were locked in until it closed at 9pm. Helicopters circled and sirens wailed as we sat stunned on the terrace answering messages from home and drinking beer. I know how lucky we were. I walked home a long way round to find my street cordoned off, swarming with police. |
| When I did walk home, it was weird and empty and surreal. The street where I’m staying was cordoned off. There were rumours of gunmen in restaurants close to where I live. It was terrifying. I feel shaken and weird and sad. Just really sad for the city. It’s a new reality, in a few hours it changes, and it’s a new thing that’s happened. Everyone adjusts. Everyone’s been so sad. Everyone is traumatised. It’s such a wonderful place, it’s just so shocking. | When I did walk home, it was weird and empty and surreal. The street where I’m staying was cordoned off. There were rumours of gunmen in restaurants close to where I live. It was terrifying. I feel shaken and weird and sad. Just really sad for the city. It’s a new reality, in a few hours it changes, and it’s a new thing that’s happened. Everyone adjusts. Everyone’s been so sad. Everyone is traumatised. It’s such a wonderful place, it’s just so shocking. |
| A British family who were metres away from the Las Ramblas van attack praised the quick reaction of the police and the kindness of strangers in making them feel secure. | A British family who were metres away from the Las Ramblas van attack praised the quick reaction of the police and the kindness of strangers in making them feel secure. |
| Jackie Rado, 51, and her daughter Kristin RadoBarr, 14, who were on a family holiday with Tony Barr, 46, and Alexander RadoBarr, 12, were shopping at make-up store Sephora 100 yards from La Rambla. Their husband/father and son/brother were on their way back to their hotel when the van ploughed into pedestrians. The family were separated for three hours as the area was put on lockdown. | Jackie Rado, 51, and her daughter Kristin RadoBarr, 14, who were on a family holiday with Tony Barr, 46, and Alexander RadoBarr, 12, were shopping at make-up store Sephora 100 yards from La Rambla. Their husband/father and son/brother were on their way back to their hotel when the van ploughed into pedestrians. The family were separated for three hours as the area was put on lockdown. |
| ‘My son was waiting for us, that was hard for him’ – Jackie Rado, 51, London | ‘My son was waiting for us, that was hard for him’ – Jackie Rado, 51, London |
| We were just about to leave Sephora, on the corner of La Rambla, and get ice cream at La Bocqueria on La Rambla, but we were distracted by something on sale. We were on the ground floor and suddenly people started to race downstairs, hysterical. We were scared and no one knew what was going on. We were downstairs but we could hear sirens. We heard there was a van going down La Rambla, and people coming in must have seen what had happened. | We were just about to leave Sephora, on the corner of La Rambla, and get ice cream at La Bocqueria on La Rambla, but we were distracted by something on sale. We were on the ground floor and suddenly people started to race downstairs, hysterical. We were scared and no one knew what was going on. We were downstairs but we could hear sirens. We heard there was a van going down La Rambla, and people coming in must have seen what had happened. |
| We were locked in the store for three and a half hours. I just kept trying not to think about it and stay calm. We were right there where it was happening. Sephora had docking stations for our mobile phones so we could follow the news. The staff were reassuring, giving us water and trying to keep everyone calm. | We were locked in the store for three and a half hours. I just kept trying not to think about it and stay calm. We were right there where it was happening. Sephora had docking stations for our mobile phones so we could follow the news. The staff were reassuring, giving us water and trying to keep everyone calm. |
| I keep pushing away the thought of what might have happened if we hadn’t done an about-turn in the store. We were right on the corner of where the van went down the street. I couldn’t believe how quickly the atmosphere changed from normal to static. I couldn’t believe we were in that situation. | I keep pushing away the thought of what might have happened if we hadn’t done an about-turn in the store. We were right on the corner of where the van went down the street. I couldn’t believe how quickly the atmosphere changed from normal to static. I couldn’t believe we were in that situation. |
| My husband and son had a scarier time as they were more aware of what was happening. We knew we were safe. We were going to be safe. We were worried for them as they saw more panic. My son got such a big shock because for them they were waiting for us and that was hard. | My husband and son had a scarier time as they were more aware of what was happening. We knew we were safe. We were going to be safe. We were worried for them as they saw more panic. My son got such a big shock because for them they were waiting for us and that was hard. |
| We’re off to the Sagrada Familia sightseeing today, continuing our holiday. What else can we do? | We’re off to the Sagrada Familia sightseeing today, continuing our holiday. What else can we do? |
| ‘I felt more scared than I ever have’ – Kristin, 14 | ‘I felt more scared than I ever have’ – Kristin, 14 |
| We were going upstairs, on our way out, but went back down when someone offered to show us make up. While I was being told about make up there were loud noises outside. We were the first store in Sephora, close to the entrance. The person I was with ran to the entrance and soon after people came flooding down screaming and crying. Me and my mum ran to the back of the shop where we could be safe. | We were going upstairs, on our way out, but went back down when someone offered to show us make up. While I was being told about make up there were loud noises outside. We were the first store in Sephora, close to the entrance. The person I was with ran to the entrance and soon after people came flooding down screaming and crying. Me and my mum ran to the back of the shop where we could be safe. |
| I felt more scared than I ever have. The whole way through people were very nice, they had drinks and food. Although it was very scary, we felt safe. We had chargers and were checking the news and looking at the make up. I spoke to French people who spoke English. A lot of people who came into the shop from outside were crying or speaking quickly or in shock. I was just staying with my mum as much as I could. It was very quiet when we were evacuated but we felt safe. The police told us to leave in small groups of fifteen people. | I felt more scared than I ever have. The whole way through people were very nice, they had drinks and food. Although it was very scary, we felt safe. We had chargers and were checking the news and looking at the make up. I spoke to French people who spoke English. A lot of people who came into the shop from outside were crying or speaking quickly or in shock. I was just staying with my mum as much as I could. It was very quiet when we were evacuated but we felt safe. The police told us to leave in small groups of fifteen people. |
| I’m OK, but not really believing that it all happened. | I’m OK, but not really believing that it all happened. |
| ‘I was very relieved when they came home, at that point we felt the danger had passed’ – Tony Barr, 46 | ‘I was very relieved when they came home, at that point we felt the danger had passed’ – Tony Barr, 46 |
| I was in the south-west of the area with my son, visiting football stores. | I was in the south-west of the area with my son, visiting football stores. |
| As we were coming out of the metro on our way back to the hotel, people were telling us not to come to the area. There were a lot of street vendors at the top of the subway standing in a group and waving us away telling us not to come up. A group of Spanish families came rushing down the stairs. I spoke to an older Spanish lady and a French couple. It seemed like the news had spread and we stayed in the underground behind the ticket barrier. | As we were coming out of the metro on our way back to the hotel, people were telling us not to come to the area. There were a lot of street vendors at the top of the subway standing in a group and waving us away telling us not to come up. A group of Spanish families came rushing down the stairs. I spoke to an older Spanish lady and a French couple. It seemed like the news had spread and we stayed in the underground behind the ticket barrier. |
| When we came out my son was worried about his mum and sister. We headed to the hotel, as we did that the police were cordoning off the areas. We went towards Plaça de Catalunya, but at one point the police began shouting at us to get back. People were panicking and rushing and screaming. We eventually got back to our hotel. They checked everyone’s ID before entering and kept everyone updated. We were in lock down. | When we came out my son was worried about his mum and sister. We headed to the hotel, as we did that the police were cordoning off the areas. We went towards Plaça de Catalunya, but at one point the police began shouting at us to get back. People were panicking and rushing and screaming. We eventually got back to our hotel. They checked everyone’s ID before entering and kept everyone updated. We were in lock down. |
| My wife and I can’t speak highly enough of the police. They were calm and very happy to take questions. The hotel staff were wonderful. Everyone is looking after each other. People are going out of their way to interact and smile to Muslim guests. At the toaster this morning, I discussed with a Muslim woman how hot we should put the toaster. It wasn’t forced, but I’m aware that we should all be thoughtful. | My wife and I can’t speak highly enough of the police. They were calm and very happy to take questions. The hotel staff were wonderful. Everyone is looking after each other. People are going out of their way to interact and smile to Muslim guests. At the toaster this morning, I discussed with a Muslim woman how hot we should put the toaster. It wasn’t forced, but I’m aware that we should all be thoughtful. |
| I feel different about it to some other attacks. We were living in Bangkok during Red Shirt violence, and we were in our apartment watching Bangkok burn down. We knew we weren’t part of it. This time I wasn’t worried for our safety, but I was very upset and angry knowing how close they were to my family. They’d been closer to it than many people. I was upset about the intent of it. I was very relieved when they came home, at that point we felt the danger had passed. | I feel different about it to some other attacks. We were living in Bangkok during Red Shirt violence, and we were in our apartment watching Bangkok burn down. We knew we weren’t part of it. This time I wasn’t worried for our safety, but I was very upset and angry knowing how close they were to my family. They’d been closer to it than many people. I was upset about the intent of it. I was very relieved when they came home, at that point we felt the danger had passed. |