Is it safe to travel to Barcelona right now?
The city has been hit by a fresh wave of independence protests.
Barcelona has been rocked with protests in recent weeks as demonstrators turn out in support of Catalonia’s independence from Spain.
The city has seen protestors starting fires and attempting to storm government offices this week after nine Catalan separatist leaders were sentenced to between nine and 13 years in prison.
It follows protests earlier this month to mark the second anniversary of the independence referendum which was later overruled by the Spanish government.
The action has also impacted on travellers, with 108 flights to Barcelona cancelled as demonstrators clashed with police at the city’s international airport – and naturally leading to concerns about whether it’s safe to currently travel there.
Here’s the information you need to know.
Is it safe to travel to Barcelona right now?
The Foreign Office travel information for Spain has not advised against travelling to the region – but its updated travel advice has issued a warning to anybody planning to go to Barcelona or the Catalonia region.
‘There have been large gatherings of people in Barcelona and other areas of the Catalonia region in relation to political developments there,’ the site says.
‘Further gatherings and demonstrations are likely to take place. You should exercise caution in the vicinity of demonstrations as they may occur with little or no warning. Demonstrations intended to be peaceful can escalate and turn confrontational.’
They has also issued advice for those whose travel plans may have been affected by the protests, saying that Barcelona Tourism has launched a phone line for those who may have missed their flight or been unable to make it to their hotel.
Visit their website for further information on this, or you can check @emergenciescat on Twitter for the latest updates on travel disruption.
The Foreign Office also has a guide on its site about what to do if you’re affected by a crisis overseas, offering advice on the help and support they can give to British nationals.
MORE: More than 450,000 protesters storm Barcelona streets over Catalonia crisis