A man has been arrested in Barcelona for attempting to stab police officers while reportedly shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’.

The person, whose identity has not yet been revealed, claimed he was a ‘messenger’ whose mission was to ‘kill everyone’, according to Spanish national news site El Pais.

Catalan police, Mossos, have confirmed that the incident occurred at around 3.15pm this afternoon.

Medical staff members and policemen stand in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017 (Picture: AFP)

An officer patrolling the area close to the Ronda Litoral road in the Catalan city noticed the man brandishing a knife in his hand.


Officers followed him to monitor his behaviour as the suspect headed towards Port Olimpic, initially without the knife on display.



As he began to pull out the knife while passing by pedestrians, officers intervened fearing he would attack someone.

The man attempted to stab an agent who was asking for identification.

He then attempted to flee the scene.

The man tried to stab the police officers (Picture: AFP)

When officers caught up with him, he tried to stab them again.

He reportedly shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ – or God is the Greatest – as they held him to the floor and arrested the man, according to El Pais.

None of the officers were injured.

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On August 17 2017 22-year-old Younes Abouyaaqoub drove a rented van into pedestrians on Barcelona’s Las Ramblas.

The horrific terror attack saw 16 people killed and injured 131.

Catalan police believe the man arrested today may have a mental illness but are currently investigating all possibilities.

The man is being held in police custody.

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