The moment terror returned to Spain. A van ploughs through a crowd of people in Barcelona's famous Las Ramblas. The vehicle speeds along a pedestrianized area mowing down tourists and locals and sending others fleeing to shops and cafes. The attack left scores dead and many more injured.

 

ASH PATEL TOURIST FROM WASHINGTON "My wife and I are on holiday. We left our 15 month-old back in the States. And the only thing I wanted to do is live another day to see her. When we were hunkered down in the back of this man's shop, kitchen, it was terrifying. "

 

CARLOS TENA GALLARDO EYEWITNESS "It's an attack, my friends, an attack in the middle of Las Ramblas of Barcelona. There are lots of dead people along Las Ramblas, it's really awful, even kids, mothers and little kids dead in the middle of Las Ramblas."

 

Hours later, a further attack, this time in Cambrils, 100 kilometers south of Barcelona. Police shot dead the attackers. But not before several more people were wounded. A co-ordinated terror attack in Catalonia at the height of the tourist season. The Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy condemned the attack and called for a global response.

 

MARIANO RAJOY SPANISH PRIME MINISTER "We can defeat terrorists. We beat them with institutional union, with police cooperation, through prevention, through international support, and a firm determination to defend the values of our civilisation: democracy, liberty and human rights. We have waged many wars against terrorism in the long course of history, and we have always won them. On this occasion too, the Spanish will defeat them."

 

This is the ninth terror attack, using a vehicle, in a little over a year following on from similar attacks in France, Sweden, Germany and the UK. It is the first significant attack in Spain since 2004 when 192 people died following a string of explosions near Madrid's Atocha train station.

 

DAN WILLIAMS BARCELONA "This is an attack that has struck right at the heart of Barcelona's famed tourist industry. The city will hold a minute's silence for the victims as Catlalonia begins three days of mourning for the victims. Dan Williams, CGTN, Barcelona."