Barcelona Telegram group coordinates looting plans for October 31

A Telegram group known as ‘BLOCUS-BCN 31 OCT’, containing over 1,000 members, has been identified coordinating plans to loot luxury stores in Barcelona on Halloween. The group’s communications include specific instructions for participants to dress in black with masks and gloves to facilitate robberies.

Members have discussed tactics to evade law enforcement, such as using fire extinguishers to deter undercover officers and burning trash containers to block roads and distract police. The group also discussed methods for stealing high-value items like iPhones and reselling them.

Following recent unrest in Barcelona, which resulted in 128 arrests and 15 injuries to law enforcement officers, legal experts note that organizers could face three to six years in prison for promoting such activities. Authorities are monitoring these digital coordination efforts, which utilize social media to mobilize large numbers of people quickly.