Palma protest call draws police plan, but no Blocus trace

Palma, Mallorca: a call for protests in the city centre on Friday and Saturday has the Spanish National Police planning a security operation. But a study finds no evidence that the Blocus network is itself active in Palma. The call appeared on Tuesday in a Telegram group called Gen Z, which had just over 100 members.

The group appeared to be linked to Blocus, but that link has not been established. Technology company Goldn Owl examined more than 10,000 posts and other items across seven digital platforms, including the network’s accounts, posters and groups. Its report found signs of Blocus activity in 18 places across 11 Spanish regions, with dated protest calls in 13 of them. It found no evidence of the network’s own activity in 34 other cities it examined, including Palma and Eivissa, Ibiza. The report says Blocus was apparently behind last Saturday’s unrest in Barcelona.

Some Gen Z members discussed looting luxury shops or reacting violently to action by security forces. The protest organisers rejected violence and vandalism. The Telegram group was deleted on Tuesday afternoon.

Balearic president Marga Prohens called for a large police presence. On Wednesday, 28 October, presidency minister Antònia Maria Estarellas asked the Spanish government’s representative in the Balearic Islands, Pere Joan Pons, to take precautions against possible violence. His office says no gathering has been formally notified and that police numbers will be matched to the situation.

Topics: Police · Protests · Palma

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com