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THE DRIVER OF a van that drove into a crowd of pedestrians in Barcelona today killing at least 13 people, is still on the run according to Spanish police.
Josep Lluis Trapero of the regional police of Catalonia told reporters that two people had been arrested – a Spaniard and a Moroccan - but that the driver of the van is still at large.
He added that the van attack was linked to an explosion that happened in Alcanar, Catalonia last night.
Belgium’s Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said a Belgian woman was among those killed in Barcelona after a van drove through the pedestrianised street Las Ramblas.
Spanish authorities said that 13 people were confirmed dead and more than 100 people were injured – warning that this “figure could climb in coming hours”.
The Dutch Foreign Ministry said in a statement that three Dutch citizens had been injured in the attack and were “in contact with their relatives”.
“They are out of danger and have been taken to a hospital,” the ministry said.
A Greek diplomat in the city said three nationals had been injured – a woman and her two children.
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs said that anyone with concerns for their loved ones in Barcelona can contact their Consular Assistance team on +353 1408 2000.
Three days of mourning have been announced for the Spanish region of Catalonia.
What happened?
At around 4pm today, a white van drove onto the popular Las Ramblas promenade and drove into crowds of pedestrians.
Shops and restaurants along the busy street reacted by taking people inside and closing shutters.
Police then cleared the areas, cordoned off the streets, suspended metro and train services in the area. People were then released from the restaurants and shops, and told to return home.
Authorities on Twitter advised people to use social media to let loved ones know they were safe to avoid collapsing the phone lines amidst an influx of phone calls.
Police response
One of the suspects was named as Driss Oukabir – who’s thought to have owned or leased the vehicle used in the attack.
Police gave no further details about the Moroccan and Spaniard arrested today and denied earlier reports a perpetrator had been holed up in a bar. There were also false reports of a shooting incident in the minutes after the attack.
Ireland’s Minister for Justice and Equality Charlie Flanagan said that An Garda Síochána will “continue to liaise closely with their Spanish counterparts… to offer whatever assistance may be needed”.
He said they would “take whatever measures are necessary to deal with the threat from terrorism”.
Similar messages of solidarity have been sent out by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, EU President Donald Tusk, and US President Donald Trump.
The so-called Islamic State claimed that “soldiers” from the jihadist group carried out the attack.
Spain was hit by what is still Europe’s deadliest jihadist attack in March 2004, when bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people in an attack claimed by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists.
In July 2015, a hooded attacker opened fire outside a hotel in downtown Barcelona near Las Ramblas boulevard, leaving two people injured.
With reporting from Gráinne Ní Aodha
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Not very “Labour” to vote against workers rights I would have thought.
Exactly. They should be made rename the party. Pity there aren’t more TD’s like McNamara!
Fair play to him for sticking to his principles and trying to bring us in line with international law and best practice. Shame the government didn’t support him.
But he can’t do that and the government can’t have a vote on that because I think it was the E.C.J. has ruled that it is illegal not to let the Gardaí the right to strike. So the E.U. has told this government they are breaking the E.U. law not to allow them to strike.
This is done for show for this useless government, the squeak of the worm not the turn as the E.U. will never allow that… lol.
If the guards did go on strike, how could we tell ?
The sale of doughnuts would collapse , that would be a likely indicator .
There wont be 15 standing over your water meter when you get home.
I’m nearly sure this is the first time a government has voted against a ruling that came from the European social charter. It just goes to show the lack of respect they have for army and gardai . At the very least they could begin to allow such groups to negotiate on pay and conditions themselves. Leave the strike issue for another time when more thought is put into it. It’s now the situation where gardai and army personnel are 2nd class citizens in all but name and these are the very people we need when we are at our most vulnerable. Incredible really.
I think that SF/IRA would be in favour of all of the defence forces going on strike.
There is no SF/IRA and never was
#labour cant afford to lose any more politicians as they face wipeout in next election. Seems strange even being allowed to bring in a bill that your own party is going to vote against. anyway glad it failed for once. have no respect for the cops in this country, and now they are looking for tasers. God help us all.
Fair Play to him but I can’t help thinking that a lot of people will be unruly in FG and Labour coming up to election time to give appearance of going against status quo etc.
They shouldn’t be allowed to strike as should transport operators especially CIE members
Why not strike how the nurses do then?
The E.U. has said it is illegal for this government to prevent them from striking and the government knows this, the rest is just spin for the news media but why is the government doing this, electioneering or what?
Trying to get a fine off the European Union I’d say.. They are only delaying the inevitable
Trying to get fines off the European Union
Ireland are not the only nation
And Oranges are not the only fruit.
The Gardai and the armed forces are not regular citizens. They should by all means be paid what is fair given their responsibilities but they should never be allowed to undermine the authority of the state. The armed forces in particular are an army that are servants of the sovereign state and should be heavily penalised for even suggesting a strike.
If you want special rules about their employment shouldn’t there be special rules about their treatment.. I.e mandatory sentence for attack on garda/emergency services?
Lots of deli food would be left over cos no lads would be up to the garages at closing looking for the free scraps!
Dave the Army cannot go on strike, that’s called a mutiny and can lead to imprisonment and loss of employment. They cover whoever else goes on strike ie fire service, prison service, bin men etc. It’s a seven day week too and for a 24hr duty they get €48 before tax.
48 euro before tax is criminal. Are you aware of any other armed forces around the world that can take industrial action Sean?
What a joke, he brings in a bill and his own party don’t support it. If memory serves me correctly didn’t Peter Mathews bring forward a bill and then vote against it because the party told him to do so ? That is not democracy !!
Niamh I’m almost sure this is all armies but here the army is not allowed into meeting about pay or conditions and are not represented unlike the Guards, nurses, firemen & prison officers. They all have unions or a representative body to fight their corner. The EU has said it is against EU law to not allow the military into pay meetings, yet this government just went against this finding.
Sean gardai are not allowed in to those meetings either. They have to employ a trade union to go in and do there bidding for them. Like the lads in the army they are treated like 2nd class citizens. Disgraceful
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