Skip to content

Catalan protests: Why is Barcelona burning?

A general strike has been called in Catalonia on Friday, marking the end of a week of protests following the ruling of Spain’s Supreme Court on Monday.

The court sentenced nine Catalan pro-independence leaders to jail for sedition.

At the heart of the mobilisation are the Catalan youth.

Protesters have been clashing with the police and setting fires in the streets of Barcelona.

Video produced by Juan Antonio Dominguez and Bruno Boelpaep

18 October 2019

Explore More

People in high-vis jackets walk next to a car submerged in floods on the left of a split screen with a snowy road on the right

Atmospheric river dumps snow and record rain on California

Science & Environment

Phone footage of a skate surfacing out of grey waves to a rigid inflatable boat.ttack the side of a inflatable

Watch the moment a skate attacks a fisherman's boat off Shetland

NE, Orkney & Shetland

Smoke billows from house fire.

Video shows flames and thick smoke at house fire

A view from an EasyJet plane window as it flies above and to the side of an erupting volcano

Plane passengers film Iceland volcano lava from above

BBC News

East of England weather forecast

Composite image of Sir Keir Starmer and BBC Radio WM presenter Kath Stanczyszyn, who is pictured wearing headphones and speaking into a purple microphone

Will there be a Birmingham pub bombings inquiry?

Birmingham & Black Country

A huge Christmas tree on a flatbed lorry in font of the US Capitol building

US Capitol Christmas tree arrives in DC

Blurred still image from video clips shows people being taken out of a car

Migrants asked to rate trip in smuggler review videos

John Darvall sat on the left of a composite image, in a purple studio with a microphone in front of him. On the right is Keir Starmer with grey hair and brown glasses.

PM challenged on West's councils facing bankruptcy

BBC Newsline

BBC Newsline signed summary

BBC Scotland weather presenter Christopher Blanchett in front of a weather map of Scotland showing snow warnings.

Watch the Storm Bert weather forecast for Scotland

Mural of The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke unveiled

Parts of West Burton A power station being demolished

Power station demolition captured by drone

Man clinging to a cliff being rescued

Moment person clinging to cliff is rescued by helicopter

A woman in a hospital gown grins on the left and a monitor lit up with lungs is on the right of a split screen.

Woman gets first double lung transplant done by robot

Ryan Borgwardt

US kayaker who faked own death thought to have fled to Europe

Ruth Dodsworth in the BBC studios in Cardiff. She is sitting on an orange sofa. She has cropped blonde hair and is wearing a fitted mauve top,

Stalking was part of my daily life, says presenter

A Christmas tree with lots of blue and green lights. A building nearby has yellow lights and a red bow so it looks like a present. You can see people stood in front of the building.

Manx capital sparkles at Christmas lights switch-on

A woman has her make up done in a Swansea salon for Beaujolais Day

'Beaujolais day is Swansea's Christmas'

A woman polished a large Gromit statue at the launch of the Gromit Unleashed 3 trail in Bristol. The statue has a multicoloured sparkly pattern. The woman is wearing a red and white shirt and a black dress over the top and she has red hair cut in a bob style

Aardman unveils new Wallace and Gromit trail

Man in suit with black paint splashed over his face

Watch: Georgia election chief doused with paint

Official Giorgi Kalandarishvili was doused during the confirmation of a controversial poll.

Man holding a small child in flood water

Man seen rescuing trapped children in Valencia floods

The man and four children, including his daughter, were trapped inside at a English language school.

Three people help each other walk through water flooding down a street.

Watch: Málaga flood turns street into river

Video shows people in Calle Alcazabilla struggling to cross a road as flood water surges through it.

Government buildings in Dublin

Irish general election 2024 explained

A general election in the Republic of Ireland has officially been called for Friday 29 November.

Huge protest in Valencia

Protesters call on Valencia governor to resign after deadly floods

People are angry at the authorities' handling of floods which killed more than 200 people.

Simon Harris standing in front of microphones

Taoiseach Simon Harris calls Irish general election

A general election in the Republic of Ireland has officially been called for Friday 29 November.

Several cars piled up against a bridge in Spain

Watch: Cars washed away as new flash floods hit Spain

There were no immediate reports of casualties after heavy rain on Thursday.

Floor partially submerged in flood water inside airport terminal

Watch: Barcelona airport and highways hit by flooding

Video shows a flooded terminal inside El Prat airport and partially submerged cars on a highway.

Queen Letizia, with mud on her face, cries as she visits Paiporta in flood-hit Valencia

Queen Letizia in tears on visit to flood-hit Valencia

As anger flared in the stricken town of Paiporta, the Queen of Spain, with mud smeared on her face, was seen crying.

The BBC's Mark Lowen stands amidst scenes of chaos and flooding damage in Paiporta, the worst hit suburb of Valencia

BBC reporter in Valencia: 'The fury is extraordinary to see'

The BBC's Mark Lowen in Paiporta: "People are picking up mud, throwing it at the king"

King of Spain in a crowd with mud on him

Watch as crowd chant 'murderer' and throw objects at Spanish king

Spain's King Felipe VI is visiting the Valencia region, which has been hit by unprecedented floods.

Veronica Briz, a volunteer helping flood victims in Valencia, stands in front of an aid distribution queue

'This is my city, I have to help' - huge volunteer response in flood-hit Valencia

There has been a growing outpouring of solidarity in and around Valencia to help those affected by catastrophic flooding.

Collapse canopy in front of station with emergency vehicles

Aftermath of deadly Serbia railway station roof collapse

Several people have died, with dozens of rescue workers searching for survivors under the rubble.

Flood waters gushing down street in Spanish town

Video shows first wave of flood water gushing through town in Valencia

Cars were still driving along streets when the Valencian town of Paiporta was hit by devastating floods.

Nicky Schiller pointing at a water mark high on a wall, in the background the street is filled with mud

Valencia floods: 'There is mud everywhere here'

The BBC's Nicky Schiller says the La Torre area of the city has been completely devastated.

A head and shoulders crop of Bethany Bell as she reports live from flood devastated Paiporta, with a car and building behind her and what looks like silt from floodwaters on the ground

'We all know someone who has died'

The BBC has visited Paiporta, Valencia, where dozens of people have been confirmed dead.

Road partially collapsed and flooded area

Trail of destruction after Spanish floods

At least 158 people were killed following flash floods in southern Spain.

Nicky Schiller in Valencia at flooding scene

Valencia floods aftermath 'like a disaster movie'

The BBC's Nicky Schiller reports from the scene of Spanish flooding where cars are piled up.

Cars are piled in the street with other debris after flash floods hit parts of southern Spain

Watch: Helicopters and diggers used in rescues as flooding causes chaos in Spain

At least 95 people have died and more are missing after torrential rain caused devastating flash floods.

Georgia president Salome Zourabichivili looking into camera. The EU and Georgia flags can be seen in the background

Georgia president calls on Georgians to protest 'falsified' election result

In Saturday's election the Georgian government won almost 54% of the vote. Ms Zourabichivili has sided with the opposition.