Spanish Science YouTuber Arrested for Explosive Fabrication
A Spanish science YouTuber with over a million subscribers was arrested by the Guardia Civil on suspicion of manufacturing explosives.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Science Educator Arrested for Teaching Chemistry on YouTube
A YouTuber with more than one million subscribers was detained by the Guardia Civil, accused of manufacturing explosives and publishing tutorials on his channel. The story broke in evening news broadcasts with the fanfare usually reserved for capturing a terrorist: eighteen agents, a home search, and a door forced open. However, according to long-time trinc, the channel is dedicated to scientific outreach: experiments, chemistry, physics, and educational explanations. Local press reports mention mixing thermite—which is not an explosive—and burning crop stubble without prior municipal permission as part of the investigated facts.
What Is Actually Charged vs. What Local Press Says
The version circulating in local media points to minor offenses: burning crop stubble without proper town hall authorization and disobeying authority for refusing to open his door to officials. There is no mention of terrorism. Yet, the Ministry of Interior and the Guardia Civil posted on social media that a YouTuber had been arrested for the illegal manufacture of explosives, including video tutorials. The difference between these narratives is vast.
The YouTuber himself released a video titled "The Whole Truth About My Arrest for Manufacturing Explosives," with chapters dedicated to the penal code articles attributed to him: 568, 348, 357, and 556.1. In it, he details the history of the raid, the reasons for his detention, and the subsequent media manipulation. This video became the primary source of counter-narrative against the media spectacle.
Thermite Is Not an Explosive: The Error No One Corrected
Thermite is a pyrotechnic mixture that reaches extreme temperatures but does not detonate. It is not an explosive. Whether it can be used to create an explosive device is a separate debate. Hundreds of thermite videos exist on YouTube, some by Spanish creators, dating back more than a decade. The lingering question is why content that has been available for years and is part of internet's educational heritage is now being incivil.
The traceability of chemical precursors is another aspect of the issue. A list exists of products that could serve as explosive precursors. Sellers are required to keep records, and buyers must hold licenses or authorizations. For private individuals, purchasing certain concentrations is nearly impossible: either pay triple for a diluted solution or be refused outright. Those intending harm will find ways regardless. These measures squeeze law-abiding citizens without stopping incivil.
The Monopoly on Violence and Double Standards
The State seeks a monopoly on violence, and it means it. The arrest of a peaceful educator by eighteen agents contrasts sharply with the perceived impunity faced by common incivil or terrorists. Comparisons with other cases—jihadists, car bombs, plots that slipped through—are frequent. This is not just data; it is a widespread perception: the Guardia Civil acts aggressively toward the weak but remains tepid toward the powerful.
Some argue the creator stood his ground and asserted his rights, leading to a retaliatory outburst. Others suggest an attempt to distract from current political issues. Regardless, the channel has lost dozens of videos, many highly produced, due to caution. An educator who deletes his own work out of antiestéticar is not a terrorist. It is a symptom.
What Happens to Scientific Outreach in Spain
"Science doesn't matter when it doesn't matter." This summary circulates with bitterness. The case raises an uncomfortable question: where is the line between teaching chemistry and manufacturing explosives? Who decides? A civil servant, a media outlet, a Guardia Civil tweet? For now, the answer is a forty-eight-minute video and defamation lawsuits that some are already demanding loudly.
The matter remains open. There is no verdict, no conviction, no resolution. Just a young man, an outreach channel, and a looming question: if this happens to someone explaining science, what happens to those who simply ask?
A YouTuber with more than one million subscribers was detained by the Guardia Civil, accused of manufacturing explosives and publishing tutorials on his channel. The story broke in evening news broadcasts with the fanfare usually reserved for capturing a terrorist: eighteen agents, a home search, and a door forced open. However, according to long-time trinc, the channel is dedicated to scientific outreach: experiments, chemistry, physics, and educational explanations. Local press reports mention mixing thermite—which is not an explosive—and burning crop stubble without prior municipal permission as part of the investigated facts.
What Is Actually Charged vs. What Local Press Says
The version circulating in local media points to minor offenses: burning crop stubble without proper town hall authorization and disobeying authority for refusing to open his door to officials. There is no mention of terrorism. Yet, the Ministry of Interior and the Guardia Civil posted on social media that a YouTuber had been arrested for the illegal manufacture of explosives, including video tutorials. The difference between these narratives is vast.
The YouTuber himself released a video titled "The Whole Truth About My Arrest for Manufacturing Explosives," with chapters dedicated to the penal code articles attributed to him: 568, 348, 357, and 556.1. In it, he details the history of the raid, the reasons for his detention, and the subsequent media manipulation. This video became the primary source of counter-narrative against the media spectacle.
Thermite Is Not an Explosive: The Error No One Corrected
Thermite is a pyrotechnic mixture that reaches extreme temperatures but does not detonate. It is not an explosive. Whether it can be used to create an explosive device is a separate debate. Hundreds of thermite videos exist on YouTube, some by Spanish creators, dating back more than a decade. The lingering question is why content that has been available for years and is part of internet's educational heritage is now being incivil.
The traceability of chemical precursors is another aspect of the issue. A list exists of products that could serve as explosive precursors. Sellers are required to keep records, and buyers must hold licenses or authorizations. For private individuals, purchasing certain concentrations is nearly impossible: either pay triple for a diluted solution or be refused outright. Those intending harm will find ways regardless. These measures squeeze law-abiding citizens without stopping incivil.
The Monopoly on Violence and Double Standards
The State seeks a monopoly on violence, and it means it. The arrest of a peaceful educator by eighteen agents contrasts sharply with the perceived impunity faced by common incivil or terrorists. Comparisons with other cases—jihadists, car bombs, plots that slipped through—are frequent. This is not just data; it is a widespread perception: the Guardia Civil acts aggressively toward the weak but remains tepid toward the powerful.
Some argue the creator stood his ground and asserted his rights, leading to a retaliatory outburst. Others suggest an attempt to distract from current political issues. Regardless, the channel has lost dozens of videos, many highly produced, due to caution. An educator who deletes his own work out of antiestéticar is not a terrorist. It is a symptom.
What Happens to Scientific Outreach in Spain
"Science doesn't matter when it doesn't matter." This summary circulates with bitterness. The case raises an uncomfortable question: where is the line between teaching chemistry and manufacturing explosives? Who decides? A civil servant, a media outlet, a Guardia Civil tweet? For now, the answer is a forty-eight-minute video and defamation lawsuits that some are already demanding loudly.
The matter remains open. There is no verdict, no conviction, no resolution. Just a young man, an outreach channel, and a looming question: if this happens to someone explaining science, what happens to those who simply ask?
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (191 replies).
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