In August 2018, a group of evangelists created a tense scene aboard a railway carriage operated by the Generalitat. They carried pamphlets, backpacks, red crosses, and tunics with Arabic designs while delivering a controversial message. Their loud proclamation suggested that the carriage was filled with sin, drugs, and moral danger, a claim voiced through a megaphone and reinforced by apocalyptic slogans that unsettled many passengers.
Evangelists proclaimed a grim warning: “This subway is full of sins and drugs…”
The speaker with the megaphone amplified a message that sparked fear among those on board. The ensuing panic led to a stampede, leaving one person crushed and seriously injured by the crowd. In the moment, the speakers asserted lethal conclusions about danger and death, while others pleaded for calm as the carriage emptied rapidly. Despite the initial assertion that the claims were a joke, travelers perceived a real threat and attempted to escape the danger they felt was imminent.
Physical and emotional harm in the aftermath
Judgments released later described the affected individual as having suffered chronic anxiety, with additional injuries including bone edema and sprains. The documented facts indicate that a climate of fear spread among those who heard the defendants’ intense statements and feared the possibility of a bomb or gas attack. This atmosphere contributed to a collective effort to flee the train, especially once the public safety risk became clear. The incident culminated when the train, halted at Alameda station, was brought to a stop and panic escalated into an urgent safety response.
“Jesus Christ loves you”
Throughout the proceedings, the defendants continued to present messages they described as benevolent while simultaneously asserting that fear of sin was the primary motive. Some participants translated the statements for the crowd, while others documented the events on video. Leaflets bearing questions such as If you died today, where would you go? were distributed, and the rhetoric included demeaning expressions about national groups. The combination of religious exhortation, threats of judgment, and insulting language toward a demographic group contributed to the shock felt by many passengers.
Compensation and consequences
As a result of the case, a young woman who sustained injuries was awarded joint compensation in the amount of €13,066. The nine defendants, eight Germans and one Iraqi, faced fines totaling €9,720, with each contributor assessed €1,080. The Supreme Court Criminal Chamber upheld the objections and emphasized that the defendants’ conduct, which involved messages carrying apocalyptic implications while boarding a subway, amounted to dangerous behavior that endangered public safety and trust. The court noted that the defendants shifted their stance only after National Police intervention, underscoring the seriousness with which authorities regarded the incident and its potential for harm. Source: Supreme Court decision and related public safety records