At least nine people were arrested after riots in Bilbao on Monday, according to reports citing a provisional tally from the Basque Government’s Security
Department. Reports said the disturbances took place in the Deusto neighborhood after far-right ultra Vito Quiles called off his 7:00 p.m. event, on a day when the university campus had already been closed as a precaution. According to reports, at least six cars, several containers and a Municipal Police motorcycle were set on fire. Reports said barricades were built on Lehendakari Agirre Avenue and firefighters were called in to deal with multiple blazes. Objects were thrown at the Ertzaintza, whose riot police, reports said, charged and advanced through the area’s streets. Reports said the Security Department condemned the violence and stated that a group marched on the Deusto police station carrying stones and burned the municipal motorcycle on the way. According to reports, the department believes those responsible acted deliberately to cause trouble, even though they knew Quiles had already canceled. The unrest followed peaceful demonstrations against his visit, reports said. According to reports, thousands of students marched through central Bilbao in the morning at a protest called by Ikasle Antolakunde Sozialista (IAS). Reports said two marches then converged in front of the University of Deusto in the afternoon, carrying banners rejecting fascism and calling for class unity against far-right rhetoric. According to reports, the Security Department’s timeline shows the cancellation came well before Quiles’ public announcement. Reports said he phoned at 2:00 p.m. to ask whether the event could be moved elsewhere, and the Ertzaintza told him this was not possible. At 4:06 p.m., reports said, the police received his written decision to drop the event. According to reports, when Quiles announced the suspension on X, he said the officer in charge of the security operation had warned him of a “very high” risk of incidents. Reports said he accused the protest leaders of being “former ETA members, street terrorists and other criminals,” and, according to reports, offered no evidence for the claim. Reports said he also called the protesters “rabble.” Reports said that hours earlier he had responded to the student march with insults, writing that he had managed to get “a lot of lazy people out of bed,” and calling the day an “unprecedented success.” According to reports, his post ended with “now for a beer, slobs.” Reports said the event was part of his “Mafia or Homeland” tour, which urges people to vote for the opposition in the November 29 general elections. According to reports, Quiles also tied the cancellation to the campaign, saying: “We will return to Bilbao. But after responding to them on 29N as they deserve.”
