Shortly after 7.30 pm, on Wednesday 11 November, groups of masked protesters began throwing stones, bottles and fireworks at police near Passeig de Gràcia and Plaça de Catalunya. Rubbish bins and street furniture were set alight, creating burning barricades in the city centre, while shop windows were smashed and stores reportedly looted.
Footage shows flames engulfing barricades and protesters confronting riot police, who responded with crowd-control projectiles and baton charges. Catalonia’s Mossos d’Esquadra police moved to disperse the groups as the disturbances spread towards Las Ramblas.
Violent clashes broke out after an otherwise peaceful mass demonstration, when small groups of masked youths broke away from the main crowd. Municipal police estimated that more than 55,000 people had taken part, while organisers put the figure closer to 400,000. As night fell, rioters smashed shopfronts, set rubbish bins alight and threw objects at officers from the Mossos d’Esquadra, Catalonia’s regional police force. Eighteen people were arrested during the unrest, bringing the day’s total to 20. Catalan President Salvador Illa condemned the violence, stressing that it did not reflect the spirit of the peaceful protest.
The unrest unfolded during Spain’s first 24-hour general strike since 2012, a nationwide stoppage trade unions claim mobilised around four million workers. The protest mirrors a broader wave of social discontent over housing affordability, stagnant wages, and inflation that has swept through Portugal, Belgium, France, Italy, and Germany in recent months. Coming less than three weeks before the 29 November snap election, the unrest places immense political pressure on the government.