Busker calmly plays 'Eternal Flame' as fires and anti-lockdown rioters rage around him in Barcelona
3 November 2020, 11:29 | Updated: 3 November 2020, 11:42
Video has emerged of a busker in Barcelona playing The Bangles' 'Eternal Flame' as violent anti-lockdown rioters rage around him and throw missiles at police.
Protests began in the Spanish city over the weekend as authorities declared a six-month state of emergency and introduced a country-wide curfew.
Amongst the increasing violence, broadcaster Clara King posted a moving video yesterday (November 2) of a street pianist playing while rioters raged around him.
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Busker Peter William Geddes can be seen performing The Bangles' 1988 hit 'Eternal Flame' as police vans scream past him and rioters throw what look like molotov cocktails, just metres from his piano.
Curfew in Barcelona last night. The juxtaposition of the man on the piano playing “Eternal Flame” by The Bangles and the scene unfolding behind them is quite something. pic.twitter.com/9buhxS0xe9
— Ciara King (@iamCiaraKing) November 2, 2020
As Peter plays his electric piano in Plaça Nova, an ancient square in the heart of Barcelona, a car is in flames behind him and a volley of explosions can be heard off camera .
“Curfew in Barcelona last night,” Clara King captioned video she uploaded.
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“The juxtaposition of the man on the piano playing ‘Eternal Flame’ by The Bangles and the scene unfolding behind them is quite something.”
Twitter users have been moved by the footage, with one comparing the video to the band continuing to play as the Titanic sank in 1912.
"For some reason reminds me of them continuing to play the music as the titanic went down, videos like this will be looked back in 100 years to try and understand the madness of the pandemic," said John O Sullivan on Twitter.
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The video was filmed on October 31 as violence erupted in the city, yet busker Peter has said he wasn't nervous to continue playing.
"When I play I am very calm. No nerves," he told The Guardian.
Violent anti-lockdown protests have taken place in Burgos, Madrid, Vitoria, Valencia, Málaga and Santander over the weekend in Spain, with prime minister Pedro Sánchez urging for the “violent and irrational behaviour” to come to an end.
Spain's national night-time curfew was implemented from October 25 in an attempt to combat the spread of COVID-19, with residents of the country not able to leave their homes between 11pm and 6am.
