The Barcelona I know will rise stronger after this day of horror | Francesc Badia i Dalmases
(The Guardian Spain)

This devastating attack comes at a very delicate political moment, but it has united Barcelonians, Catalans and Spanish in revulsion and sorrowUntil fairly recently, walking down Las Ramblas - the scene of yesterday´s devastating attack - was something Barcelonians used to do quite regularly, enjoying a relaxed stroll down to the port. Before the great urban transformation brought about by the Olympic Games 25 years ago, it was one of the few spots where ordinary citizens could come in contact with the sea. This pedestrian boulevard is one of the city´s landmarks, once famous for its unique mixture of cosmopolitan diversity and Mediterranean parochialism, a place where the uptown Catalan bourgeois rushing to the opera house would encounter everyday folk going about their business, as well as the seedier elements of the night-time economy. In other words, Las Ramblas represented the democratic spirit of an open-minded city in southern Europe. Related: Barcelona is Europe´s seventh vehicle attack in a year. What can be done? | Simon Jenkins If there is one thing that can feed a nation`s spirit and its people`s solidarity, it´s a deadly terrorist attack Related: Barcelona attack: 18-year-old identified as suspected van driver - latest updates Continue reading...