The Mossos d'Esquadra arrested this Thursday a minor in Bellmunt d'Urgell (Lleida) whom they accuse of creating and administering several groups linked to Blocus from which lootings, acts of vandalism and attacks against police officers were allegedly being promoted during the mobilizations called for next Saturday, October 31.
The investigation, carried out by the General Information Commissariat of the Catalan police, began at the start of this week after officers detected the appearance of channels identified as Blocus Lleida on different messaging platforms and social networks. According to the information provided by the Mossos, the minor was not limited to spreading the call, but allegedly gave instructions to the members of the groups to organize the unrest.
The arrested person is being investigated for conspiracy to commit public disorder and incitement to commit damage and looting, in a police operation that comes as the authorities prepare new security deployments ahead of the announced gatherings in different Spanish cities.
The groups spread instructions about the looting and attacks on officers
According to the police investigation, the intercepted conversations contained references to the organization of the acts of vandalism, the establishments that could become targets and the clothing the participants were to use.
The Mossos assure that in those channels the use of "violence and harmful devices" against the officers was also raised, communications that have led investigators to attribute an active role to the detainee in preparing the possible unrest.
The identification of the alleged administrator came after several days of monitoring the groups, whose activity was related to the mobilization scheduled in Lleida for this Saturday. For the moment, the information released does not specify the number of members of the channels or whether other arrests linked to this investigation have been made.
Illa warns that "there will be no impunity for violence"
The president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, has reacted to the arrest through a message on social media in which he defended the action of the Mossos and warned that those who promote unrest will have to answer for their actions.
The arrest in Lleida "shows that there will be no impunity in the face of violence," Illa has indicated, who has added that the Govern will act "always with serenity, applying the law and guaranteeing the safety of everyone."
"Whoever promotes vandalistic acts and attacks on the police will have to assume the consequences," the Catalan president has affirmed, who has also thanked the work of the agents in charge of the investigation.
Another minor arrested in Valencia and a broad deployment for Saturday in Barcelona
The Lleida operation is added to the arrest of a 17-year-old in Valencia, carried out by the Policía Nacional for his alleged participation in the dissemination of messages that encouraged looting and riots in the city.
According to the police information, the minor administered several groups in two messaging applications, one of which had gathered up to 400 followers. Both actions take place in a context of surveillance over the calls circulated under the name of Blocus, although the available information does not attest to a direct coordination between the two detainees.
In Catalonia, the Mossos are preparing a broad security deployment for the rally announced this Saturday in Barcelona, after the disturbances recorded the previous weekend.
Those disturbances ended with 133 people arrested, more than half minors, and around thirty shops looted, according to the police reports released after the incidents.
The proximity of new calls has led the security forces to intensify surveillance of the digital channels used to promote the mobilizations, with special attention to messages that may constitute an incitement to commit crimes.