Yesterday, Wednesday 11 November 2026, Barcelona had its first general strike in 14 years. In the morning there was no metro or bus in the middle of the day, many shutters were down in the centre and peak-hour traffic was nearly halved. In the afternoon came a huge march from Gràcia, and at night, riots at Urquinaona. Here is what happened, with each side’s figures, because they don’t match.
If you want to look back at how minimum services were planned, I covered it in the guide to the 11 November general strike.
Turnout, a war of figures
As with every general strike, unions and employers gave very different numbers:
- CCOO and UGT: 84% turnout in Catalonia. CGT spoke of 100% in several sectors.
- Pimec: around 9% (8.3% with data up to mid-morning).
- Foment del Treball: 7%. Empresaris de Catalunya, 2% among its members.
- Barcelona City Council: 17.9% of municipal staff. Generalitat: 12.6% of its staff.
- Schools: the Ustec·Stes union estimated 50% in Catalonia and 70% in Barcelona.
Some more neutral data helps to get a picture. The Catalan traffic service recorded 49% fewer journeys at peak hours, and the Generalitat said the drop in electricity demand did not exceed 15%.
The march
The march set off at 17:30 from the Jardinets de Gràcia and went down Passeig de Gràcia, which was packed from end to end by six in the evening. There were blocs from the Sindicat de Llogateres tenants’ union, CCOO, UGT, CGT, the Intersindical and other unions, plus political parties. It officially ended just before 19:00, although some people carried on towards Via Laietana.
- According to the organisers: 400,000 people.
- According to the Guàrdia Urbana: 55,000 (figure reported by betevé and Metrópoli Abierta; other media reported 40,000).
The focus was housing, wages and the cost of living. The tenants’ union’s closing message: the general strike “doesn’t stop here”.
Seven hours without metro or buses
The 25% minimum services only ran in their set windows. Between 9:30 and 16:30, TMB metro and buses were completely stopped, with stations closed from just after ten. During service hours, platforms and stops were crowded.
- Rodalies: Renfe cancelled 22.5% of trains in Barcelona.
- El Prat airport: open, with 85 of 734 scheduled flights cancelled, according to Aena.
- Roads: pickets blocked access roads into Barcelona in the morning, such as the B-23 at the entrance to Diagonal. Outside rush hour, the main roads returned to normal.
Shops and the city centre
Barcelona Comerç estimated that 50 to 65% of shops on the main shopping streets closed. In the centre, pickets forced large shops to close, such as the Zara on Plaça Catalunya around midday, and there were painted shutters and locks sealed with silicone. Mercabarna opened with very little activity and the fish market stayed closed.
Riots and arrests at night
After the march, groups of hooded people clashed with riot police at Plaça Urquinaona and on Gran Via near Plaça Universitat. They set bins on fire (there was a barricade on Carrer de Fontanella), smashed shop windows, and firefighters put out a fire on Gran Via. According to Barcelona Oberta, the damage was concentrated on big-chain stores.
The Mossos arrested 18 people in the afternoon, plus two earlier arrests. Catalan president Salvador Illa said violence and vandalism do not represent those who demonstrated peacefully.
What’s next
- The Sindicat de Llogateres announced more protests, coordinated across seven European countries, from 20 to 22 November, and does not rule out another general strike.
- For today, Thursday 12, a partial strike by Renfe train drivers (SEMAF) was called: check your Rodalies line before you set off.
- An education strike has been announced for Thursday 26 November.
Today the city is back to normal. For days like this there are walkable plans for a strike day and free museums in Barcelona. And if you’re looking for plans, this week there’s Foodie Black Week and everything on the weekend of 13 to 15 November.
Frequently asked questions
How many people went to the general strike march in Barcelona
According to the organisers (Sindicat de Llogateres), 400,000 people. The Guàrdia Urbana city police gave a much lower figure: 55,000 according to betevé and Metrópoli Abierta, although other media reported 40,000. It set off from the Jardinets de Gràcia at 17:30.
What was the turnout for the 11N general strike in Barcelona
It depends who you ask. CCOO and UGT said 84%, while Pimec put it at around 9%, Foment at 7% and Barcelona City Council at 17.9% of its staff. Barcelona Comerç estimated that 50 to 65% of shops on the main shopping streets closed.
Were there riots and arrests during the general strike in Barcelona
Yes. After the march there were clashes with riot police at Urquinaona and on Gran Via, with bins set on fire and shop windows smashed. The Mossos arrested 18 people in the afternoon, plus two earlier arrests.
Did the metro run on general strike day
Only during the minimum-service windows (6:30 to 9:30 and 16:30 to 21:00). Between 9:30 and 16:30 TMB metro and buses were completely stopped, with stations closed.
Sources: betevé, Metrópoli Abierta, VilaWeb and Demócrata (11 and 12 November 2026). Each organisation gave its own figures.
📖 Read nextGeneral strike in Barcelona on 11 November: metro, buses, Rodalies and march
