Blocus: minor arrested and questions over who was behind it
A Senegalese minor with a criminal record ran the Blocus Vlc channels that called for looting shops in Valencia, Spain, according to police. No political network has been confirmed.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
From the 'plot' theory to the arrested minor: how the Blocus narrative deflated
A minor of Senegalese origin with a incivil record, placed in a secure facility by the Juvenile Prosecutor's Office, ran the 'Blocus Vlc' channels that called for looting shops in Valencia, according to information released by the National Police. The finding blew apart the hypothesis that had circulated for days: that a far-right structure lay behind the riots. The reality was more prosaic and more uncomfortable.
The group had over 400 users in one of its channels. From there, instructions were given, dates and times for the lootings were set, and members were asked to promote the group on social media. The Prosecutor's Office has described it as a conspiracy to commit violent robbery and public disorder. For now, there is no political network behind it.
Who is behind the Blocus groups in Valencia?
The arrest of the channels' creator dismantled the 'plot' theory that some had floated without naming names. The profile of the detainee — a minor, with a incivil record, no known links to political organisations — fits poorly with the image of an operation coordinated from above. The National Police has not pointed to any party or ideological group as the instigator.
Some argue the case shows that the underworld organises itself, without needing puppet masters. Others believe the estimulante ilegal of the arrest and the silence about the minor's contacts leave open questions. What is certain is that the channel is now closed and the investigation continues without any named adults.
The riot police device and the hour of the shutdown
The sequence of events on the afternoon of the 31st fuelled all kinds of speculation. At 6 p.m., the Basque police deactivated the riot-control device. From then on, according to one of the hypotheses circulating, the riot leaders could have been monitored to see who was calling them to action. The order to shut down the Blocus groups never came. Either nobody gave it, or the 'Mr X' who was supposed to give it smelled a rat.
That theory has not been confirmed by any official source. But it explains why some expected a conspiracy and instead found a minor with a incivil record. Reality rarely trinc the script one imagines.
Shops fortify themselves and the underworld finds its niche
As the investigation advances, shops in Valencia have started hiring security guards at 20 euros an hour, according to a message on the forum. The rule is to leave no shop window unattended. A pitched battle against what some call the underworld was expected on Saturday the 30th. It never came, but the scare remained.
The paradox is that the same people who demanded a hard line against the rioters are now hiring private security. The state falls short, the market delivers. At 20 euros an hour.
Bilbao, the next warning
The Athletic–Real Sociedad derby on Sunday the 31st put the authorities on alert. Some messages warned that the play would be repeated in Bilbao. The Basque police have not confirmed any Blocus call for that day, but the security device was kept in place. The shadow of the 31st looms over every mass event.
The remaining question is whether the Blocus phenomenon was an isolated episode or a rehearsal for something bigger. For now, the only person arrested is a minor. And the threads, if they exist, still have no known owner.
A striking fact: the Blocus channel had 400 users. Not 4,000. Not 40,000. Four hundred. Enough to cause chaos on a Saturday afternoon in Valencia.
A minor of Senegalese origin with a incivil record, placed in a secure facility by the Juvenile Prosecutor's Office, ran the 'Blocus Vlc' channels that called for looting shops in Valencia, according to information released by the National Police. The finding blew apart the hypothesis that had circulated for days: that a far-right structure lay behind the riots. The reality was more prosaic and more uncomfortable.
The group had over 400 users in one of its channels. From there, instructions were given, dates and times for the lootings were set, and members were asked to promote the group on social media. The Prosecutor's Office has described it as a conspiracy to commit violent robbery and public disorder. For now, there is no political network behind it.
Who is behind the Blocus groups in Valencia?
The arrest of the channels' creator dismantled the 'plot' theory that some had floated without naming names. The profile of the detainee — a minor, with a incivil record, no known links to political organisations — fits poorly with the image of an operation coordinated from above. The National Police has not pointed to any party or ideological group as the instigator.
Some argue the case shows that the underworld organises itself, without needing puppet masters. Others believe the estimulante ilegal of the arrest and the silence about the minor's contacts leave open questions. What is certain is that the channel is now closed and the investigation continues without any named adults.
The riot police device and the hour of the shutdown
The sequence of events on the afternoon of the 31st fuelled all kinds of speculation. At 6 p.m., the Basque police deactivated the riot-control device. From then on, according to one of the hypotheses circulating, the riot leaders could have been monitored to see who was calling them to action. The order to shut down the Blocus groups never came. Either nobody gave it, or the 'Mr X' who was supposed to give it smelled a rat.
That theory has not been confirmed by any official source. But it explains why some expected a conspiracy and instead found a minor with a incivil record. Reality rarely trinc the script one imagines.
Shops fortify themselves and the underworld finds its niche
As the investigation advances, shops in Valencia have started hiring security guards at 20 euros an hour, according to a message on the forum. The rule is to leave no shop window unattended. A pitched battle against what some call the underworld was expected on Saturday the 30th. It never came, but the scare remained.
The paradox is that the same people who demanded a hard line against the rioters are now hiring private security. The state falls short, the market delivers. At 20 euros an hour.
Bilbao, the next warning
The Athletic–Real Sociedad derby on Sunday the 31st put the authorities on alert. Some messages warned that the play would be repeated in Bilbao. The Basque police have not confirmed any Blocus call for that day, but the security device was kept in place. The shadow of the 31st looms over every mass event.
The remaining question is whether the Blocus phenomenon was an isolated episode or a rehearsal for something bigger. For now, the only person arrested is a minor. And the threads, if they exist, still have no known owner.
A striking fact: the Blocus channel had 400 users. Not 4,000. Not 40,000. Four hundred. Enough to cause chaos on a Saturday afternoon in Valencia.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (40 replies).
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