Barcelona and Cambrils mark ninth anniversary of 2017 terrorist attacks

On the ninth anniversary of the August 2017 terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils, various commemorative acts were held, marked by both solemnity and political friction. Due to ongoing construction on La Rambla, the main institutional tribute was relocated to Plaça Sant Jaume in Barcelona.

The ceremony included officials such as Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni and Catalan President Salvador Illa, who called for peace and coexistence. However, the event was disrupted by political tensions when Vox representatives, including MP Joan Garriga, faced confrontations with pro-independence demonstrators. The protesters, organized under slogans demanding truth and accountability, accused the state of negligence, leading to interventions by the Mossos d’Esquadra to prevent physical altercations.

Beyond the political unrest, victims and their families expressed ongoing needs for support. Representatives from the Catalan Association of Victims of Terrorist Organizations (ACVOT) and individual survivors emphasized that they require more than just financial compensation, calling for sustained psychological, medical, and social attention. In Cambrils, a separate, more subdued ceremony was held near the Club Nàutic to honor those affected by the attacks in that coastal town.