Spanish authorities call for closure of chats after disturbances

Spanish authorities condemned the recent riots in Barcelona as pure vandalism, unrelated to any protests, and called for the closure of social media chats inciting further chaos. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez emphasized ongoing investigations and the detention of 128 individuals, mostly minors, who will face justice. The regional government highlighted that the disturbances were organized via digital platforms, particularly TikTok, and urged WhatsApp and Telegram to assist in identifying those behind the inciting messages. The situation has sparked political tensions ahead of upcoming elections, with accusations from the right against the leftist coalition government for its handling of protests. Authorities noted similar disturbances have occurred in other European countries, linked to a group operating under the name "Blocus."