Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola has put public pressure on Spanish and Catalan authorities to clear up events surrounding a terrorist attack in Barcelona.
The incident being referred to is the 17th of August 2017, when a two related terrorist attacks took place in Barcelona and Cambrils, to the South of the Catalan capital on the coast. The former involved a van running over people on the busy La Rambla street, and across the two attacks, resulted in 15 dead and over 100 injuries.
Guardiola, who calls Barcelona home, wanted to remember the victims and their families six years on.
He was also keen to demand justice for them.
“How much longer do we have to wait to know for sure what happened on 17-A?”
“Spanish State-Generalitat, we want to know the truth. That’s what you’re here for. Shame. This is what I feel. To all the victims and relatives, I tell you that not a day goes by that I don’t think of you.”
The attacks have become a controversial incident in relations between Spain and Catalonia, with the Catalan police force, Mossos d’Esquadra, alleging that Spanish intelligence did not inform them of relevant information before the attacks.
The Spanish Government and police forces have denied this to be the case, and since the Mossos were caught trying to destroy documents including a warning from the EU about terrorist activity. The head of the Catalan police Jose Luis Trapero has recognised that warning as legitimate, but says that it was not obtained from the Spanish Government.
Meanwhile victims have complained of six years of being forgotten by the authorities and politicians, with an investigation into the matter halted in parliament. It is still not clear exactly the nature of the events, hence Guardiola’s frustration.