A 37-hour hostage crisis involving around 300 people at Barcelona's Central Bank, with unclear motives possibly linked to the 23F coup attempt.
Key Facts
- Date
- 23 May 1981
- Hostages taken
- Approximately 300 people
- Duration of hostage crisis
- 37 hours
- Location
- Central Bank of Barcelona headquarters
- Motives
- Unclear; robbery or retrieval of 23F-related documents
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The precise motives behind the assault on the Central Bank of Barcelona remain unconfirmed. Hypotheses include an attempted robbery and the possible acquisition of documents connected to the 23F coup attempt of February 1981, suggesting political dimensions may have played a role alongside criminal intent.
On 23 May 1981, armed assailants seized the headquarters of the Central Bank of Barcelona. Around three hundred people — employees and passersby who happened to be inside the building — were taken hostage. The incident unfolded over 37 hours before it was resolved.
The hostage crisis lasted 37 hours before concluding, drawing significant public and governmental attention in Spain. Because the full motives were never officially clarified, the incident left open questions about potential links to the political instability surrounding the February 1981 coup attempt known as 23F.