The city’s duty judge released three people arrested during clashes at Fossar de les Moreres in Barcelona, with charges pending. The arrests followed a confrontation between left-wing independence supporters and members of Aliança Catalana, prompting police intervention and leaving several officers with minor injuries.
The incident took place in the Born district, a site with strong ties to Catalan history. Groups linked to the CUP organized a protest against Aliança Catalana’s presence at Fossar de les Moreres, a location known for commemorating the 1714 siege of Barcelona. Tensions rose when demonstrators tried to break through a police cordon set up by the Mossos d'Esquadra. Officers from the BRIMO riot unit intervened to keep the two groups apart. Spanish media outlets including Betevé and La Vanguardia reported that police established the perimeter because of two simultaneous gatherings: one by Aliança Catalana and another by anti-fascist and left-wing independence groups such as Arran.
Estimates of the crowd size varied widely: different sources reported around 500 Aliança Catalana supporters and between 1,500 and 2,500 counter-protesters.
The Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Catalunya reports that the three detainees are under investigation for public disorder and assaulting authority, with causing minor injuries also among the allegations. The judge’s decision to release them followed the prosecutor’s recommendation, but all three remain under judicial review. Reports from ARA and VilaWeb note that, beyond the three detainees, up to seven others are also under investigation for their roles in the unrest, with accusations including attacking police and causing injuries.
Thirteen BRIMO officers were reported to have sustained minor injuries during the operation. Some sources, including Betevé and VilaWeb, put the number at 14. The police response began when a group outside the protected area tried to push through the security line, escalating the situation. The deployment was large and planned in advance, with dozens of police vans blocking access to Fossar de les Moreres, information from Crónica Global.
Fossar de les Moreres is often a site for political demonstrations and remembrance, and confrontations have occurred there in previous years. This time, networks linked to the left-wing independence movement organized the anti-fascist response, and police used the BRIMO riot unit to keep the groups apart.
As the three released individuals await further legal proceedings, the events at Fossar de les Moreres highlight ongoing tensions in Catalonia’s political scene. The number of police injuries compared with civilian detentions shows the intensity of the confrontation and the risks for officers on duty. Judicial authorities have taken a cautious approach, releasing the detainees with charges while the investigation continues.
