Barcelona terrorist attack shakes North Jersey

Gonzalo Fernandez of Lyndhurst frequently finds himself immersed in Barcelona’s culture.

Fernandez, 53, works as a chef at Meson Barcelona restaurant in Clifton. A native of Spain, the Barcelona connection normally serves as a sense of pride for Fernandez, but it came with sadness on Thursday following the terrorist attack when a white van slammed into a crowd on Thursday and killed at least 13 people. 

Those in North Jersey kept the victims in their thoughts while remaining vigilant.

The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management posted on Twitter that the department is “monitoring the events” while also offering their members’ thoughts and prayers for the victims, their families and the first responders. The Bergen County Sheriff’s Office also noted that the Department of Homeland Security and police are “on patrol 24/7” to protect citizens.

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The van injured at least 100 people when it hit the crowd at Las Ramblas tourist district in addition to the 13 people who died in the attack.Police said they were "treating him as a terrorist."

“Unfortunately it is one of most visited areas in Barcelona,” Fernandez said, “so I’m sure you find a lot of tourists, lot of people walking around, sitting around in cafes, sitting and eating.”

Fernandez still has family in Spain and friends in Barcelona but said they were OK following the attack. He grew up in the northwest area of the country but moved to the United States when he was 13. 

“It’s a beautiful city,” he said of Barcelona, a place he visited several times.  

President Donald Trump posted that the United States condemns the terrorist attack in Barcelona “and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!”

Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr., Sen. Bob Menendez, Rep. Frank Pallone and the Port Authority Police Department were among the New Jersey officials and departments to offer condolences and support to the victims and their families. 

Fernandez said he was shocked at first to hear about the attack but then less surprised when he remembered others in Europe.

Vehicles have been used to plow into pedestrians in the United Kingdom twice this year, including a June attack on London Bridge that killed eight people and a March attack on Westminster Bridge where four pedestrians and one police officer were killed. In late December, a truck plowed into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people and wounding nearly 50 others.

“I don’t know what to say. There’s so much hate in this world,” he said. “I read about it. I’m an educated guy but I will never understand so much hatred.”

Email: jongsma@northjersey.com