Leaders Remember Victims, Demand Truth
Nine years after the 17 August 2017 jihadist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils that shocked Catalan society, President of the Generalitat Salvador Illa has reaffirmed a message of unity, democracy, and peace. In a post on X, Illa stated: "Davant l'odi i la barbàrie, més convivència, més democràcia i més pau" – "In the face of hatred and barbarity, more coexistence, more democracy, and more peace." He added that the memory of the victims remains alive and expressed his support for survivors, families, and all those affected. A commemorative event was held Monday morning at Plaça Sant Jaume in Barcelona, as La Rambla – the usual site of remembrance – is currently under construction work. A minute of silence honoured the lives lost in the coordinated terrorist acts carried out by an extremist cell across two locations in Catalonia.
Junts Insists on Right to Know 'Full Truth'
Jordi Turull, secretary general of opposition party Junts, reiterated the party's ongoing demand for full transparency about the events of 17A. In public remarks, Turull affirmed Junts' unwavering commitment to uncovering "the truth of what happened," calling the lack of official accountability a democratic deficit within the Spanish state. "Not making effective the right to know the truth about 17A is one of many democratic shortcomings of the Spanish state," he said. "And in this case, it is more than evident." This stance aligns with Junts’ continued push for declassification of intelligence documents and greater scrutiny of security coordination failures prior to the attacks, as reported in previous parliamentary debates.
Victims Still Seek Recognition and Compensation
Survivors and relatives continue to advocate for broader recognition and justice. According to recent reports, 136 people affected by the attacks have yet to receive formal identification or compensation. "It is sad that 136 people still have not been compensated," victim advocacy groups have publicly stated, underscoring lingering administrative and emotional wounds nearly a decade later. Aliança Catalana also marked the anniversary, warning that Salafist radicalisation remains present in Catalonia. "Remembering the victims also means acting so it never happens again," the party said in a social media statement. The group has previously called for stricter oversight of religious centres linked to extremist ideologies.
"Davant l'odi i la barbàrie, més convivència, més democràcia i més pau.", Salvador Illa, President of the Generalitat
Primary sources: govern.cat. Reported by racocatala.cat, Jordi Martín, Por Newsroom Infobae Seguir, El Periódico (CA), Regió 7, beteve.cat, La Ciutat, CatalunyaPress.cat, Redacció, Racó Català, larazon.es, valenciaplaza.com, VilaWeb, catalunyapress.es, Betevé, europapress.es, El Debate, El Nacional (CA), Nació Digital, Pablo Planas, Ara, Quico Sallés Barcelona, Oriol Solé Altimira, José Enrique Monrosi, Diari de Girona, L'Empordà, ISLAMCAT, Elena Burés, Canal Terrassa, libertaddigital.com.
