The Piera juvenile center was attacked with flammable liquid and stones after three young people in care were attacked.

BarcelonaA group of unknown individuals attacked the center for minors under the care of the Generalitat (Catalan government) located in Piera, Anoia, early this morning, using flammable liquids and stones. The incidents did not cause any injuries and come after a week of incidents and tension between a group of young people in care and residents of the municipality, which forced the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) to intervene on several occasions. Three inmates were attacked during these incidents. The Catalan police are guarding the center, which has been partially burned, to prevent further disturbances.

According to reports The CaseThe attack took place around 5:00 a.m., while the minors in care and the caretakers who run the center were sleeping. Typically, around 20 people are present at night. The damage caused by the throwing of flammable substances and blunt objects is currently being assessed, which has damaged part of the facade and furniture inside the facility, such as a sofa, as well as a vehicle that was outside. The Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) have opened an investigation into this case, which, in addition to identifying the perpetrators of the attack, aims to clarify whether this morning's action is directly related to the incidents this week in Piera involving young people in care and people from outside the center.

Hours after the attack, at 11:00 a.m., nearly 200 Piera residents gathered in the town—with the presence of Vox and the support of the Desokupa group—to denounce the incidents of recent days. One of the groups gathered ended the protest outside the juvenile center and issued slogans against the youth. Piera City Council issued a statement on Friday to clarify the events that had occurred in the town's streets over the past 72 hours. On Wednesday night, a young adult in the care of the Generalitat (Catalan government) suffered minor injuries after a fight—according to sources familiar with the case, he was punched—and had to be taken by ambulance to a health center for medical attention. The following day, at noon, two minors also in care were attacked by people "possibly from the town," according to police sources. A few hours later, between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m., and after learning what had happened to their classmates, a dozen minors in care left the center and were intercepted by a joint operation between the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) and the Local Police, who were alerted by some neighbors. In its statement, the council clarifies that both groups of unaccompanied minors, residents of Piera, and others living in the center supervised by the Generalitat (Catalan government), were detected. Police action prevented a fight between the two groups, and the young people in care were taken back to the center, while being insulted by local residents. According to the council, "no one was seriously injured with a knife" in Thursday's incidents, nor were "any knives or blunt objects" seized.

"I feel bad that the far right uses these types of incidents to fuel the fires of racism and xenophobia," lamented a local resident after the events this morning. Meanwhile, council sources assured ARA that they will act "forcefully" to combat both the violence and the xenophobic rhetoric of recent days.