Van Plows Into Pedestrians At Major Tourist Hub In Barcelona
Source: Huffington Post
A van drove into pedestrians at a major tourist hub in Barcelona, Spain, on Thursday, wounding several people, according local police.
The cause of the crash is still unknown. Metro stations surrounding the site have been closed, and emergency services have warned against going near the area, authorities said.
The incident took place in La Rambla, a street popular with tourists and which features a historic boulevard. A video posted to social media in the aftermath of the event shows people running near Barcelonas Plaa de Catalunya.
This is just breaking news, I will post as updates become available
Here is the BBC report:
Spanish police say several people have been injured in a "massive crash", while emergency services are urging people to stay away from the area around Plaça Catalunya.
Reports from the scene say people are taking cover in nearby shops and cafes.
Reuters news agency reports that emergency services have requested the closure of local metro and train stations.
El Pais newspaper said the driver of the vehicle had fled on foot after mowing down dozens of people.
Steven Turner, who works in the area, told the BBC: "People in my office saw a van ramming into people on La Ramblas.
"I saw about three or four people lying on the ground."
"There are lots of ambulances and armed police with assault rifles around now."
Details of this incident are still unclear, but vehicles have been used to ram into crowds in a series of militant attacks across Europe since July last year.
Las Ramblas
Central boulevard that runs 1.2km (0.75 miles) through the centre of Barcelona
Runs from the city's Placa de Catalunya (Catalonia Square) to the Christopher Columbus monument at the seafront.
Popular with tourists because of its market stalls, bars and restaurants
Barcelona city council restricted traffic flow because of heavy pedestrian use of the street
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40965581
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/barcelona-car-plaza_us_5995b1a9e4b0acc593e5e287?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
muriel_volestrangler
(101,405 posts)https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/17/van-crashes-into-crowd-of-people-barcelona-las-ramblas
still_one
(92,492 posts)LittleBlue
(10,362 posts)Reports that two gunmen have barricaded themselves in a restaurant. I hope the people inside got out. It's the height of tourist season and those poor folks will be fish in a barrel.
still_one
(92,492 posts)LittleBlue
(10,362 posts)Many dead including a child, according to the people who were able to watch it. They warned people against viewing the video as it's very graphic. La Rambla is packed this time of year, expect a large death toll.
still_one
(92,492 posts)leftynyc
(26,060 posts)And there are reports of people being taken hostage although they don't know if the two incidents are related.
B2G
(9,766 posts)They're the guys who drove the van into the crowd.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)I'm also reading they jumped the curb right outside a kosher restaurant. I'm thinking it wasn't an coincidence.
B2G
(9,766 posts)leftynyc
(26,060 posts)I'm going to look around and see what I can find.
Edited to add: I'm seeing in the post right below mine they're holed up in a bar.
B2G
(9,766 posts)Hope there aren't people in there with them, but I'm not very confident that there aren't.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)I'm not liking the chances of it being empty.
B2G
(9,766 posts)Not sure if there's more than one. Pic being posted on Twitter.
SoCalNative
(4,613 posts)Per BBC:
Spanish media report that a suspect involved in the Barcelona attack has been killed in a shootout with police on the outskirts of the city.
http://www.bbc.com/news/live/40966524
B2G
(9,766 posts)I've seen the one they have in custody rented the van.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,405 posts)Two armed men have since entered a restaurant in the city and have taken hostages, one TV station is reporting.
El Pais says the perpetrators are holed up in a bar in the Raval district, on Calle Tallers, towards the end of Las Ramblas.
http://news.sky.com/story/van-hits-crowd-in-massive-crash-in-barcelona-10992725
still_one
(92,492 posts)Pachamama
(16,887 posts)Heddi
(18,312 posts)very very busy time of year. I'm sick over this.
Also about to go to Holland, Belgium, and Germany in 2 weeks. Fuck terrorists, whomever they are, whatever they stand for, and whichever continent they choose to terrorize.
Rustyeye77
(2,736 posts)maxsolomon
(33,449 posts)What, you suspect Basque Separatists?
If it walks like a duck...
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)But there's much less terrorism from Catalan nationalists.
maxsolomon
(33,449 posts)Don't bet your house on Catalan Separatists.
Rustyeye77
(2,736 posts)LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)"If it walks like a duck..." then it could be a Common Moorhen, a Pie-billed Grebe or even a Purple Gallinules, all of which look and walk like ducks, but are in fact, not ducks at all.
Our bias often compels us to confuse mere hens for ducks.
maxsolomon
(33,449 posts)You're not surprised, either.
MosheFeingold
(3,051 posts)Jews?
Zionists?
Jewish Zionists?
End the unjust Spanish occupation of Al-Andalus!
Rustyeye77
(2,736 posts)Fundie attacks... doesn't matter where it happens
Spain Barcelona
Pakistan Lahore
London Bridge
Afghanistan
Egypt Coptic Christians
Manchester
Paris
Fresno
London
Berlin
Brussels
Nice
SAN Bernadino
9/11
7/7
Orlando
Madrid
Boston
NY/ Atlantic City
Al queda
Germany rape- fest
Paris Charlie hebdo murder-thon
And thousands I can't even remember
LittleBlue
(10,362 posts)ucrdem
(15,512 posts)Pachamama
(16,887 posts)I hope this isn't the case....this is so horrible...
ucrdem
(15,512 posts)The Ramblas is the place to go at night so at least they picked the least-bad time. Still horrible.
ucrdem
(15,512 posts)flibbitygiblets
(7,220 posts)...
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)Anyone think that's a coincidence?
http://www.jpost.com/International/Van-rams-into-crowd-in-Barcelona-injuring-dozens-502730
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)herding cats
(19,569 posts)Catalan police tweeted there are mortal victims and injured from the crash without specifying any numbers. Spanish media, including Cadena SER radio station and TV3, reported up to 13 dead, while other media had varying death tolls.
https://www.apnews.com/7b8626224bc944e8acc8360307840602/Van-plows-into-Barcelona-crowd-in-attack;-media-say-13-dead
cwydro
(51,308 posts)No doubt it will rise, but that's not confirmed right now.
B2G
(9,766 posts)dhol82
(9,353 posts)That was from a police report.
Police said to expect the death count to go up due to the severity of the injuries.
Stuart G
(38,454 posts)SoCalNative
(4,613 posts)At least 13 people have died and 50 were injured after a van ploughed into crowds in Barcelona's famous Las Ramblas tourist area, police and local officials say.
The vehicle sped along the pedestrian area, mowing down people and sending others fleeing for cover. Police are treating the incident as terrorism.
Later they said a man had been arrested in connection with the attack.
Witnesses said the van had deliberately targeted people before stopping.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40965581
PA Democrat
(13,225 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)What a world.
SoCalNative
(4,613 posts)Per BBC
Spanish media report that a suspect involved in the Barcelona attack has been killed in a shootout with police on the outskirts of the city.
http://www.bbc.com/news/live/40966524
SoCalNative
(4,613 posts)Meanwhile police released a photo of a man named as Driss Oubakir, who is alleged to have rented the van used to drive into pedestrians.
Local media say he is in his 20s, and was born in Morocco.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40965581
Stuart G
(38,454 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,405 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,405 posts)The reports were carried in Spains El Pais and El Periodico newspapers and Catalan police had said earlier that it was possible the driver was among those killed in the second incident, though they could not be certain.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2017/aug/18/barcelona-cambrils-terror-attack-suspects-killed-latest-updates?page=with:block-5997159be4b06141db08efc1#block-5997159be4b06141db08efc1
nitpicker
(7,153 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,405 posts)Younes Abouyaaqoub is understood to be the chief suspect for the attack on Las Ramblas that killed at least 13 dead and injured more than 130.
...
On Friday it emerged that another suspect, Moussa Oukabir, who is thought to have rented the van, was among five men shot dead as they launched a second attack in the coastal town of Cambrils.
...
Police are also looking for a white Renault Kangoo vehicle which is believed to have been rented by the suspects and could have crossed the border into France, according to French media.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/19/barcelona-attack-hunt-continues-for-driver-of-van-younes-abouyaaqoub-renault-kangoo
This is the house they blew up while they were trying to prepare propane/butane-based bombs:
Picking carefully through the debris they found the body of a woman, a severely injured man and the remains of around 20 butane and propane gas bottles.
The house, which had been repossessed by a bank years ago, was being squatted by a group of men who neighbours assumed were Moroccan and who came and went on powerful Kawasaki motorbikes.
Police thought that this meant is was a drugs factory of some kind. The cause of the explosion seemed clear enough: it was the result of an accidental gas leak.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/19/from-gas-blast-to-carnage-in-las-ramblas-the-attacks-that-shook-spain