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2017 Barcelona attacks

Coordinates: 41°22′53″N 2°10′20″E / 41.381492°N 2.1722188°E / 41.381492; 2.1722188
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2017 Barcelona attack
La Rambla, the site of the van attack; pictured in 2011
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LocationLa Rambla, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Coordinates41°22′53″N 2°10′20″E / 41.381492°N 2.1722188°E / 41.381492; 2.1722188
Date17 August 2017
16:57 CEST (UTC+2)
TargetPedestrians
Attack type
Vehicle-ramming attack
WeaponsA van
Deaths13 (6 more in related events)
Injured100 (25 more in related events)
No. of participants
8+ [1]

The 2017 Barcelona attack occured on 17 August 2017 in La Rambla, Barcelona, when a van was driven into pedestrians, killing 13 and injuring at least 100.[2][3] Two suspects then fled on foot.[4][5]

Police said two men were arrested in connection with the attack; another was reported killed in a shootout with police.[6] In Ripoll, a man in his 20s was alleged to have rented the van, but told police his ID was stolen.[7] Amaq News Agency said the attackers were "soldiers of the Islamic State" who "carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting coalition states".[4]

An explosion occurred the night before the attack in the Catalan town of Alcanar. It flattened a building and killed a woman. Head of the Mossos d'Esquadra Josep Lluís Trapero said it was related to the ramming. Nine hours after the attack, police killed five people in a Cambrils shootout, who were believed to be planning a terrorist attack.

Attack

At 16:50 CEST (UTC+2),[8] a white van drove onto the pavement of Barcelona's La Rambla, crashing into pedestrians for about 550m between Plaça Catalunya and Liceu and stopped on a Joan Miró mosaic. The driver then fled.[8][9][10]

First reports claimed two deaths and dozens of injured people.[11][10] The vehicle was reportedly hired in the neighbouring location of Santa Perpètua de Mogoda,[12] along with a similar van, considered a getaway vehicle and found by 19:00 in Vic.[13]

In a police press conference at 19:00 local time, a spokesperson confirmed the terrorist nature of the event, one dead and 32 injured (10 seriously).[14][15]

At about 20:20 local time, the Catalan government confirmed 13 people were dead and at least 50 were injured.[16] At 20:29, Catalan police said no one had been taken hostage in the bar and that a suspect was in custody.[17] Catalonia's regional president later announced another arrest.[10]

Barricade ramming

About two hours later, another vehicle rammed a police barricade in Avinguda Diagonal and gunshots were exchanged. The vehicle used was identified as a white Ford Focus.[10] That driver was killed and it is not known if this is involved with the previous attack.[18] There is speculation that he is one of the original attackers trying to break out through the police cordon. One police officer was seriously injured when hit by this second car.[citation needed]

Foiled Cambrils attack

Early on August 18 in Cambrils, police killed five people suspected of planning a terrorist attack, four on the scene, who overturned their Audi A3 after driving onto a pedestrian area. Some wore explosive belts. At least six civilians and one police officer were injured.[19][20]

Victims

Deaths by citizenship
Citizenship Deaths
 Belgium 1[21]
Unknown 12
Total* 13

Thirteen people were killed and 100 were injured, 15 of them seriously, in what authorities called a terror attack.[22] One of the dead was a Belgian woman.[23] Three were reportedly Germans, but the German Foreign Ministry said they were unable to confirm the claim.[24]

Suspects

The Fiat Talento van was apparently hired by a Ripoll resident who is a convicted criminal. It is not clear if he is in any way involved in the attack. The town's mayor said the man insisted he had been in Ripoll at the time, and went to the local police station as soon as he saw his face broadcast.[25][26] He was arrested while reporting to police that his personal documentation was stolen by his younger brother.[7]

Police said two suspects were arrested in Ripoll and Alcanar respectively.[27] They said the driver had not been arrested, and a manhunt is underway.[28]

Amaq News Agency claimed, "The perpetrators of the Barcelona attack are soldiers of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting coalition states."[4]

Reactions

Domestic

Gàbia operation was deployed by Mossos d'Esquadra in order to locate the perpetrator(s). All events in Barcelona were cancelled, and both Carles Puigdemont and Ada Colau cancelled their holidays so as to return to the city and take part in the crisis management.[29] Likewise, Prime Minister of Spain Mariano Rajoy cancelled his holidays and travelled to Barcelona with the Spanish Deputy Prime Minister, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, and Juan Ignacio Zoido.[30]

The King of Spain Felipe VI tweeted in response to the attack, "They are murderers, just criminals who will not terrify us. All Spain is Barcelona. Las Ramblas will return to being for everyone".[31]

International

Several world leaders reacted to the events, condemning the attacks and expressing shock and solidarity with Spain.[32]

European Union

President of the EU Commission Jean-Claude Juncker pledged a Europe-wide response to the atrocity and to give the EU's resources to Barcelona’s emergency and security services. President of the European Council Donald Tusk said "All of Europe stands with Barcelona".[33] European Parliament President Antonio Tajani wrote "Full support to authorities. EU united in defense of peace."[34]

See also

References

  1. ^ Slawson, Nicola; Topping, Alexandra (17 August 2017). "Barcelona attack: van driver still on the run, police say – latest updates" – via The Guardian.
  2. ^ "At least 13 dead in van crash in Barcelona city center: media". 17 August 2017 – via Reuters.
  3. ^ "LIVE: 13 killed and 50 injured in Barcelona attack". Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  4. ^ a b c "Van crashes into dozens of people in Barcelona: police". Reuters. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  5. ^ Ward, Victoria. "Barcelona crash: 'Two dead' as van ploughs into crowd at popular tourist area, as driver flees scene". telegraph.co.uk. The Telegraph. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  6. ^ "Barcelona: 13 killed as van rams crowds in Las Ramblas". BBC News. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Barcelona terror attack at iconic Las Ramblas tourist hotspot in Spain". News.com.au.
  8. ^ a b "Atropellament massiu a la Rambla de Barcelona" (in Catalan). 324.cat. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  9. ^ "Van drives into people at Ramblas – aftermath". LiveLeak.com. August 2017.
  10. ^ a b c d "Barcelona attack: van crashes into crowd at Las Ramblas, killing 12 as Islamic State claims responsibility".
  11. ^ "Confirman un segundo muerto en el atropello de Las Ramblas". EFE. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  12. ^ "Lo que se sabe del atentado en La Rambla de Barcelona". El País. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Atropellament massiu a la Rambla de Barcelona en un atemptat terrorista". Ara.cat. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  14. ^ Mossos (17 August 2017). "En aquests moments es confirma una víctima mortal i 32 ferits, dels quals 10 greus #Barcelona".
  15. ^ Galan, Laura. "Almenys 13 persones mortes en l'atropellament massiu a la Rambla de Barcelona". CCMA. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  16. ^ "Tretze morts i més de 50 ferits en un atropellament massiu a la Rambla de Barcelona en un atemptat terrorista". Ara.cat (in Catalan). Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  17. ^ Mossos (17 August 2017). "There is no one entrenched itself in any bar in the center of #Barcelona. We have arrested one man. We treat it as a terrorist attack". Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  18. ^ "Un vehicle atropella una agent dels Mossos a la Diagonal després de saltar-se un control". 324.cat. Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  19. ^ "Tiroteo en Cambrils tras el atentado en Barcelona".
  20. ^ "Police in Cambrils, south of Barcelona, kill 5 terrorism suspects accused of plotting attack". globalnews.ca. Global News. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  21. ^ "Attaque terroriste à Barcelone : un Belge parmi les victimes" (in French). Le Soir. 17 August 2017.
  22. ^ Hatton, Barry; Wilson, Joseph (17 August 2017). "Barcelona attack: Van driver kills 13, injures 100". CTV News. The Associated Press. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  23. ^ "Zeker één Belgisch slachtoffer bij aanslag Barcelona". Hanne Decré, DeRedactie.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  24. ^ "Terroranschlag mit Transporter auf La Rambla in Barcelona: Tote, Verletzte" (in German).
  25. ^ "Driss Oukabir: who is the Barcelona suspect?". The Telegraph.
  26. ^ "Dos detenidos y un presunto terrorista muerto tras el atentado de Barcelona".
  27. ^ "Barcelona terror attack: Two suspects arrested and one man killed in explosion after 12 people die in Las Ramblas van attack". Evening Standard.
  28. ^ "Manhunt underway for driver in Barcelona". The West Australian.
  29. ^ "Atemptat a la Rambla de Barcelona". Ara. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  30. ^ "Rajoy, Santamaría i Zoido viatgen a Barcelona per participar en el gabinet de crisi per l'atemptat". Ara.cat (in Catalan). Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  31. ^ Rey, Casa de S. M. el (17 August 2017). "Son unos asesinos, simplemente unos criminales que no nos van a aterrorizar. Toda España es Barcelona. Las Ramblas volverán a ser de todos".
  32. ^
  33. ^ "EU president Jean-Claude Juncker pledges Europe-wide response to 'cowardly' Barcelona attack". 17 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  34. ^ "Donald Trump Condemns Barcelona Terror Attack on Twitter". 17 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.