Video: @orriolsderipoll / X
Mayor Confronts Picketers Amid General Strike
On Wednesday 11th November 2026, tensions erupted in Ripoll during a general strike called by trade unions CC.OO. and UGT, as Mayor Sílvia Orriols and her deputy Guillem Barranqueras directly confronted strike picketers blocking access to a local supermarket. According to reports from Crónica Global and El Nacional, Orriols arrived at the scene early in the morning demanding that Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalonia’s regional police) remove the demonstrators, who were obstructing a city street and the entrance to a commercial establishment. The police declined to act, citing orders not to intervene, a decision Orriols criticised heavily.
Scuffles and Alleged Assault
Witnesses and video footage circulated by unions show Orriols, dressed in pink, recording protesters carrying a banner and flares. As she and council members attempted to block the picketers’ advance, physical altercations broke out. Strike participants allege that Barranqueras, the finance councillor for Aliança Catalana, kicked one of the demonstrators during the confrontation. The incident occurred at the entrance of the supermarket, where officials reportedly tried to seize protest banners.
The council members pursued us from the start, calling us 'lazy', 'Spaniards' and 'dirty',
said Jordi Hostench, a councillor from CUP, denouncing the conduct of the municipal leaders.
Orriols Vows Legal Action Over Police Inaction
Orriols defended her actions, stating she had contacted the regional police superintendent five times and warned Interior Minister Núria Parlon of legal consequences due to what she described as a failure to ensure resident mobility. She accused regional authorities of political bias in favour of the strike, claiming the Mossos were under orders not to disperse the picketers despite minimal numbers. Police at the scene eventually intervened to remove Orriols from the immediate confrontation to de-escalate tensions. No arrests have been reported, and the Mossos have not confirmed the alleged assault by Barranqueras. The incident is under review, with video evidence expected to inform any further investigation.
Sources: Crónica Global, El Nacional.
