Barcelona youth protest turns violent with fires and clashes on La Rambla

A youth protest in Barcelona turned violent on Saturday afternoon, with dozens of demonstrators clashing with police and setting fires in the city center. The unrest has forced several shops to close with customers still inside. The demonstration, inspired by recent European protests, began at plaça Catalunya and escalated on La Rambla, where protesters built a barricade using containers and municipal bicycles that they set alight. The Mossos d'Esquadra deployed a large police operation in response. The protest was organized through social media and WhatsApp groups without an official organizer. Participants told local media the movement has no specific motive but aims to emulate mass mobilizations occurring across other European countries.