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News > World

At Catalonia's Minute of Silence 'Life Continues' Without Fear

  • Spain's King stands at the front of a crowd giving a minute of silence for victims of yesterday's deadly attack in Catalonia.

    Spain's King stands at the front of a crowd giving a minute of silence for victims of yesterday's deadly attack in Catalonia. | Photo: REUTERS

Published 18 August 2017
Opinion

The President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, said that the event was a “massive demonstration of serenity and solidarity.”

Thousands of people gathered in the Placa de Cataluyna Friday morning to hold a minute of silence in honor of the victims of the deadly terrorist attack in Catalonia on Thursday.

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Joined by Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and King Felipe VI, the minute of silence ended with applause and a chant rejecting terror: “I am not afraid!”

The plaza where the minute of silence was held is near the street where a van driver began the attack by driving through a crowd, killing at least 13 and injuring over 100.

The President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, said that the event was a “massive demonstration of serenity and solidarity.”

Puigdemont has said that he is “positively surprised” by the calmness and fearlessness of his fellow Catalonian citizens, who he says woke up on Friday with tranquility and continued on with life in the places near where the attack occurred.

"We are not afraid"

“Life continues, and this should not affect us,” he said, rejecting the attempt to spread terror among the people.

Local resident Sebastiano Palumbo also expressed the hope that people would be able to continue on without too much fear in spite of the horrific events. "Those that live here can't believe it, because we live here, we walk here, this is our neighborhood. I think the best thing would be to continue, every day, doing what do,” Palumbo, an Italian architect, said.

Three have been arrested according to authorities, however police believe that as many as twelve and at least eight people may have been involved in planning the attack.

A second attempted attack was thwarted when police killed five attackers who attempted to run over a crowd in Cambrils, in the Tarragona province. The men were wearing explosive belts, which later turned out to be fake when examined by police.

The so-called Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying the perpetrators responded to their “call for action.”

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