An analysis of digital platforms finds no signs of activity of the Blocus network either in Palma or in Ibiza

PalmaAn analysis based on 10,000 items published on seven digital platforms by the Blocus network, apparently behind last Saturday's riots in Barcelona, has found no evidence of its own activity in either Palma or Ibiza. This is shown in a report published by the technology company Goldn Owl, which specializes in open-source intelligence analysis and is based at the Alicante Science Park.

According to Europa Press, the researchers have analyzed more than 10,000 items collected on seven digital platforms and have identified signs of activity from this network in 18 locations across 11 autonomous communities, 13 of which had scheduled calls to action. The map includes Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Donostia-San Sebastián, Valencia, Seville, Zaragoza, Malaga, A Coruña, Santander, Pamplona, and Terrassa. The analysis, however, did not find signs of Blocus's own activity in 34 other cities that were analyzed, including Palma and Ibiza.

The case of Palma

The alarm went off this Tuesday in Palma after it emerged that, in a Telegram group named Gen Z, with just over a hundred participants and apparently linked to the Blocus movement, a protest was being promoted for Friday and Saturday in the center of the Balearic capital. The organizers of the demonstration, through various statements sent by one of the group's administrators, which was deleted on Tuesday evening, expressed their "categorical" rejection of any act of vandalism, violence, and damage to public and private property.

"We want to make it absolutely clear that our mobilization will defend the principles of pacifism, dignity, and respect. Anyone who tries to distort our struggle with acts of vandalism does not represent us," they noted. This happened after several of the members of the instant messaging group spoke about the possibility of "looting luxury stores" or reacting violently to any "aggression" by security forces. "We do not need destruction for them to listen to us; our massive, firm, and organized presence is the most powerful message we can send," the administrators replied.

This very Wednesday, the president of Pimeco, Carolina Domingo, appeared before the media to convey the concern of small business owners regarding the demonstrations announced in Palma, especially the one scheduled for this Friday, October 30, at the Plaça d'Espanya. "We do not want to generate alarm or assume that incidents will occur on Friday. What we are asking for is to act with prevention and responsibility so that the images we have seen in other cities are not repeated in Palma," she stated.

The employers' association has insisted that this concern affects all small street-level businesses, from shops and catering establishments to workshops and service companies. Furthermore, it has warned that some small establishments do not have metal shutters or physical security barriers, a circumstance that makes them especially vulnerable to possible acts of vandalism.

National Police action

The National Police explained on Tuesday that it has planned a security operation for this protest event. For its part, the Spanish government delegation confirmed that no demonstration had been notified and guaranteed that an operation will be deployed to prevent any incident related to this or other calls that could disturb public order.