Anti-system protesters clash with police in Barcelona's Plaza Cataluña, causing vandalism

Saturday's gathering in Barcelona's Plaza Cataluña was sparked by a social-media invitation urging "against the system," drawing a crowd of hooded youths who sought to emulate recent French protests. The Mossos d'Esquadra deployed riot units to the square, where protesters hurled stones, set urban fixtures ablaze and erected improvised barricades. Although the number of participants remained modest, the police allocated several units to contain the unrest.

Adjacent retailers quickly lowered shutters and reinforced glass with wooden boards, yet vandals still managed to break some windows. The department store Corte Inglés closed its entrances, evacuating hundreds of customers through alternate routes. Public transport services were suspended in the vicinity and the nearby stop was sealed off.