AI-generated political content has triggered legal action in Barcelona after a disturbing video surfaced showing Catalan political figures in violent scenarios.
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The controversy began when an anonymous account published footage created using artificial intelligence that depicted Aliança Catalana leader Sílvia Orriols shooting former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont. This manipulated content has drawn widespread condemnation from political parties and legal experts alike.
AI-Generated Video Prompts Widespread Condemnation
Junts, Puigdemont’s political party, publicly denounced the video’s publication and distribution. Furthermore, party members expressed strong rejection of the content, arguing it crosses “all democratic boundaries.” Consequently, the situation has escalated beyond mere political disagreement into potential legal territory.
Anna Navarro, a Junts deputy, described the AI-generated images as “absolutely repugnant” during her public statements. Meanwhile, prominent lawyer Gonzalo Boye announced plans to bring the matter before the Public Prosecutor’s Office. According to official reports, Puigdemont himself feels “annoyed and concerned” about this development in Catalan politics.
Sílvia Orriols a sobre del cadàver del president @KRLS. L’autor és «Girona Notícies». Segons Orriols (17/10/25), els hi paga una subvenció pública per promocionar fires i Mercats 🫠 https://t.co/xb3uXruUtY pic.twitter.com/agL9y04Ycb— Aleix Clarió 🎏🐉 (@aleixclario) October 21, 2025
Aliança Catalana has also pledged to take “legal actions” against the video’s publication. The party claims the content manipulates both Orriols’ message and image. Additionally, they’ve stated they won’t tolerate “any defamatory attacks or any attempt to discredit Aliança Catalana through fake news.”
Political Fallout and Security Concerns
The controversy extends beyond the initial AI-generated video. Junts per Ripoll has criticised that the original image came from the only media outlet subsidised by Orriols’ municipal government. Therefore, they argue that “the money of Ripoll’s residents should not serve to misinform and much less to generate hate or stimulate violence.”
Orriols has distanced herself from the controversy through her social media channels. She emphasised that “Aliança Catalana doesn’t need to create artificial images nor simulate that we beat or assassinate anyone.” Moreover, she has called for investigation into the video’s creators and demanded they “pay” for their actions.
This incident highlights growing concerns about security and technology misuse in political contexts. As artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated, the potential for manipulated content to influence political discourse increases significantly. The situation demonstrates how quickly such content can escalate tensions between political factions.
The legal responses from both parties indicate serious concerns about where political discourse crosses into potentially criminal territory. This case may set important precedents for how Catalan authorities handle AI-generated political content in future. Therefore, the outcome could influence how similar situations are addressed across Spain and beyond.
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