Barcelona Braces for New Halloween Riots as Telegram Groups Plan Looting and Attacks on Police

Groups are organizing on Telegram and WhatsApp to promote new looting and riots in Barcelona on October 31, Halloween night, with threats against luxury stores and police, according to examined chat captures. The calls use the name Blocus, the anonymous platform behind last Saturday's unrest. The messages, from a group with nearly 900 members, include plans to attack shops, burn containers and vehicles, and use molotov cocktails. One participant proposes assaulting a police officer with twenty people, while another suggests leaving him naked. Organizers urge attendees to wear masks and gloves, exploiting Halloween to hide identities. The new calls follow Saturday's riots that left 128 arrested, including 72 minors, 23 businesses looted or vandalized, and 14 officers injured. Police are investigating those behind the social media convocations, though the messages' authenticity and how many will attend remain unverified.