Violence broke out in Bilbao on Monday evening following protests against Vito Quiles, a far-right Spanish influencer known for his provocative university appearances and described by some as “Spain’s Charlie Kirk.” The unrest, which saw cars set ablaze and property damaged, led to the arrest of 19 individuals, including minors.
Quiles, 26, was slated to speak at the University of Deusto but was forced to cancel his event amid escalating tensions. Anticipating unrest, the university preemptively closed its facilities and suspended classes. The initial protest, organised by students and labour groups, attracted thousands opposing Quiles due to his far-right rhetoric. While early demonstrations remained largely peaceful, a later crowd of approximately 300 young people, many dressed in black and masking their faces, engaged in violent acts. They reportedly set fire to a police motorcycle and multiple vehicles, destroyed public property, looted shops, and confronted Basque police with stones.
Bingen Zupiria, the regional security minister, confirmed the arrests and indicated that three protesters were placed under investigation. Quiles blamed the disturbances on the Basque separatist group ETA, which has been inactive for years, a claim lacking independent verification. On social media, he labelled the protesters as “terrorists” and contrasted his advocacy for “freedom” against what he framed as extremist opposition.
Quiles, originally from Alicante, began his public career as a reporter and later gained prominence through street interviews and nationalist demonstrations opposing Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. His far-right affiliations include working with entrepreneur Javier Negre’s media outlet Estado de Alarma and serving as press officer for Alvise Perez’s Se Acabo la Fiesta party, which secured three seats in the 2024 European Parliament elections. He lost his press credentials at the Spanish Congress of Deputies last month due to repeated violations of parliamentary rules.
Boasting over 2.7 million followers across social media platforms, Quiles often targets migration, left-wing ideology, and “woke culture” in his content. Following the fatal shooting of American activist Charlie Kirk last year, Quiles launched his “España combativa” university tour, frequently staging unauthorized events across Spain. This tour has been met with strong student opposition, administrative bans, and frequent counter-demonstrations, including at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
Critics argue that Quiles’s appeal relies less on substantive argumentation and more on provocation and confrontation. Sociologist Iago Moreno remarked that Quiles lacks coherent political theses, instead echoing social media rhetoric. Anna Lopez, a political scientist, described Quiles’s tactics as a form of political communication that seeks to generate attention by provoking opponents and portraying their reactions as evidence of intolerance. This dynamic, she noted, allows Quiles to craft a narrative of victimhood when violence erupts.
Quiles has capitalized on crises, such as the migrant influx into Ceuta last year, to promote his anti-immigration stance and propose security measures. His visibility has earned him recognition and support from Spain’s right-wing Partido Popular and Vox parties, as well as praise from Argentine President Javier Milei. Following the events in Bilbao, Quiles claimed on social media that his presence had mobilized previously inactive youth to protest.
The episode underscores ongoing tensions in Spain surrounding far-right activism at academic institutions and the challenges posed by political polarisation in public discourse.