Downtown Barcelona experienced a night of chaos on Saturday, as groups of young people clashed with police and shops were looted.
The unrest, which began late in the afternoon around Plaça de Catalunya, led to 128 arrests, according to authorities. Fifteen police officers were also injured during the night.
The gathering, promoted on social media under the slogan “Instituts Indignats,” aimed to bring the French youth movement “Lycéens Indignés” to the Catalan capital.
At its peak, the demonstration drew around 600 people, according to reports from Spanish media.
The unrest began around 6 p.m., when several groups of young people, many dressed in black and wearing hoods, started vandalizing street signs. Special police forces then intervened, forcing protesters to disperse into nearby streets, where the clashes continued.
Protesters threw stones and other heavy objects at officers, while some groups erected barricades, set fire to garbage bins and smashed shop windows. Police responded with baton charges to disperse participants as they worked to regain control of the area.
According to La Vanguardia, around 14 shops were looted. The clashes also caused damage to motorcycles, bicycles and bus stops.
Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni condemned the incidents and announced that the city council would take part in legal proceedings to seek accountability for the damage caused.