Safety & Emergency

Halloween night in Málaga: police on alert after calls for looting

Police have stepped up security in Málaga, Fuengirola, Marbella and other towns tonight after social media calls for looting. What we know and how to stay safe.

Published

19 minutes ago

October 2026

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Updated: October 2026

Police have stepped up security across Málaga province for Halloween night, Saturday 31 October, after anonymous calls on TikTok, Telegram and WhatsApp urged young people to gather in masks and loot shops. The calls are linked to a youth movement known as “Blocus”, which has been connected with recent riots and looting in Barcelona. Here is what is confirmed so far and what it means if you live here or are visiting.

What we know

Places named in the calls: Málaga city centre (including Calle Larios), Fuengirola (around the Miramar shopping centre), Marbella and Puerto Banús, San Pedro de Alcántara and Vélez-Málaga, according to local media.
Arrest: on 30 October the National Police arrested a 20-year-old man in Málaga, described by police as a member of Blocus, who allegedly urged followers to loot shops in Málaga, Fuengirola and Marbella.
Police presence: Málaga and Marbella have announced special security operations for the night. Police say they are monitoring the online calls but have described the threat as unclear, with nothing concrete confirmed.
Shops: several shops in Málaga city centre have emptied their windows, boarded up their fronts or changed their closing times as a precaution. Many are still open as normal.

How to stay safe tonight

Keep away from large groups of masked people and from any gathering that looks tense.
If you are in a shopping street when trouble starts, go into a café or shop and follow staff and police instructions.
Do not stop to film incidents. Keep your phone and bag close.
Children trick-or-treating should stay in residential streets with an adult.
In an emergency call 112 (all services) or 091 (National Police).

Travel advice and what comes next

Some foreign ministries, including Denmark’s, have warned of a risk of unrest and clashes in larger Spanish cities in the coming period and advise travellers to keep away from demonstrations. Spain also has a nationwide general strike on Wednesday 11 November and a general election on Sunday 29 November. We will publish practical guides to both.