Why people are sharing cat photos in response to the Barcelona attack
Cat photos have been posted online in ‘solidarity’ with Barcelona following the attack in which 13 people were killed and more than 100 injured.
Twitter users are sharing the feline images instead of using graphic photos taken in the aftermath of the Las Ramblas rampage and a second attack in the coastal resort of Cambrils.
The cute images began spreading online after Spanish police warned social media users not to share photos of victims, while others are sharing them to confuse suspects about ongoing police operations.
��Por respeto a las víctimas y a sus familias, por favor, NO compartas imágenes de heridos en atropello de #Ramblas de Barcelona
— Policía Nacional (@policia) August 17, 2017
“Out of respect for the victims and their families, please, do not share pictures of injured in collision with # Ramblas of Barcelona,” the Policia Nacional posted.
In response, Twitter users began ‘hashtag flooding’, with one user explaining: “If the terrorists are following the hashtag to gather police info, they only see cats.”
Mucha fuerza #Barcelonapic.twitter.com/9kdIsqOHKL
— Diana Bird (@diana_bird) August 17, 2017
One tweeted: “We will post cute cat photos so that the murderers do not exploit the blood spilled and the pain caused.”
Another responded: “Help the police. Tweet a cat #Barcelona.”
Authorities asked sharing images be stopped. Cat photos being used to saturate hashtag #Barcelona & bury insensitive and traumatic images pic.twitter.com/y92ISBokfH
— Sarah Crisp (@sairydust) August 17, 2017
Full twitter #Cambrils#Barcelona#StopTerrorism with kitten pics, no victims or policeman. Let athorities act! pic.twitter.com/ijuV1RolNl
— �� (@Megatronik_) August 17, 2017
Sarah Crisp wrote: “It looks insensitive but a similar response happened in Brussels, to help hide photos/videos of police activity while it was all happening.”
“Authorities asked sharing images be stopped. Cat photos being used to saturate hashtag #Barcelona & bury insensitive and traumatic images,” wrote another.
“Fill the kitten network and do not share #Barcelona images. No information to terrorists,” tweeted @Emma_MJJ.
#Barcelona my thoughts are with all the people affected by this cowardly attack. Here's my cat. pic.twitter.com/FIBgei10DX
— Marlous Smits (@MarlousSmits) August 17, 2017
There was a similar response to a terrorist threat in Brussels in 2015. When police asked residents not to reveal details of security operation on social media - Belgians responded with pictures of cats.
Terror returned to the streets of Europe after in Barcelona when a van deliberately ploughed into crowds of people on the popular tourist street of Las Ramblas - here’s everything we know so far.
Five terrorists wearing fake suicide belts were later shot dead by police after ramming civilians with a car in a Spanish seaside town in a second attack to hit the country.