Angry port workers in Barcelona, Spain set a barricade ablaze Wednesday, blocking access to a cruise terminal and forcing passengers to haul their luggage on foot, according to local reports.

The protest took place near Barcelona's cruise terminals, where workers blocked an access road leading to the Porta d'Europa bridge, Spanish news outlet Crónica Global reported.

The workers were protesting potential pay cuts, with the road closures forcing cruise passengers to walk with their luggage instead of traveling by bus or car, the same outlet reported.

'NEVER-ENDING' CRUISE GRINDS TO DEVASTATING END, STRANDING OVER 200 PASSENGERS ABROAD

Roughly 200 workers took part in the protest, which lasted about four hours, Spanish outlet Metrópoli said. 

There was a burning barricade made of branches. Riot police were reportedly deployed to the area, according to Crónica Global.

Four cruise ships carrying a combined total of more than 13,000 passengers were in port during the disruption, according to Cruise Hive.

POPULAR VACATION HOT SPOTS SLAP LIMITS ON TOURIST RENTALS, DRIVING AND MORE TO PROTECT 'STUNNING' SPACES

The vessels reportedly included Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas, Mein Schiff 7 and AIDAmar, which were visiting Barcelona.

Norwegian Escape was also in port preparing to embark passengers for a new voyage, Cruise Hive reported.

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Spanish outlets reported that the protest followed a government audit that found discrepancies between approved salary budgets and the amounts workers were actually paid.

Workers fear the findings could lead to pay cuts of up to 8%, according to local news outlet betevé.

Employees have argued they should not be penalized for the discrepancies.

"The solution is not to cut salaries," the workers' committee said in a statement Wednesday, translated from Spanish, according to maritime news outlet Diario del Puerto.

In a statement, the Port of Barcelona said it was required to correct the payroll discrepancies identified in the government audit but maintained that the issue was not the result of wrongdoing by the port, according to local broadcaster betevé.

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Barcelona is one of Europe's busiest cruise destinations, with the port recording nearly 4 million cruise passenger movements in 2025, according to the Port of Barcelona.

The disruption comes as Barcelona continues to grapple with broader tensions surrounding tourism.

Earlier in October, Fox News Digital reported growing tensions over tourism in Barcelona, where protests have raised concerns about the impact on visitors to the popular Spanish destination.

Earlier this summer, Barcelona officials pushed to increase taxes on cruise passengers visiting the city for less than 12 hours to as much as $35, as part of broader efforts to curb overtourism.

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The U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Spain and Andorra issued a demonstration alert for Spain (not related to the port protests) on Oct.28.

"Demonstrations and protests continue to occur in Spain.  While some demonstrations have been announced, including on October 31, other protests are spontaneous. Last minute changes can happen and may occur outside planned routes," the alert said.

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"Local authorities may increase security measures, including road closures, traffic restrictions, or increased security presence in areas where the demonstrations will occur.  U.S. citizens should avoid demonstrations and areas of unrest. 

"Stay away from areas with large crowds or significant police activity," it added. "Even peaceful protests can turn confrontational and escalate into violence."

EXCLUSIVE: Two Republican members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing concern over the state of NATO ally Albania’s democratic backsliding, urging the department to use its visa restriction authority against Albanian officials complicit in significant corruption.

"We write to express concern about the state of democracy and the rule of law in the Republic of Albania, a NATO ally and candidate for European Union membership. The United States has invested heavily in Albania's justice reforms and has a strong interest in their success. Recent events suggest that progress is fragile and, in key areas, at risk of reversal," the letter to Secretary Rubio said.

Specifically, the letter urges Secretary Rubio to use the State Department's authority under Section 7031(c) of the annual Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act to publicly designate Albanian officials and their immediate family members, if necessary, if credible information of involvement in significant corruption exists.

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The letter, written by Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., and his Republican colleague, House Europe Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, requested the administration answer four key questions by Nov. 5.

In addition to asking the state department to commit to reviewing Albanian officials for designation under its visa restriction authority, the members of congress inquired about what assistance is being provided to Albania's broader justice reform efforts and whether the U.S. Embassy in Tirana is working with local officials to protect protesters and journalists.

The Republican representatives are also requesting an update on former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, who was charged with interfering in public procurement for road construction. Prosecutors asked parliament in December 2025 to lift her immunity so she could be arrested, but Prime Minister Edi Rama called the request unconstitutional, and parliament has not allowed the arrest to proceed.

The members of congress say that Albania's anti-corruption institutions cannot succeed in rooting out corruption when political leaders shield the officials they investigate.

US LAWMAKERS SOUND ALARM AS VIOLENCE GRIPS NATO ALLY ALBANIA AMID ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS

Like fellow protesters in France and across Europe, tens of thousands have protested amid allegations of government corruption, inadequate education, unemployment and a lack of opportunity. The growing nationwide protest movement is driven by students and citizens also demanding accountability, an end to corruption and what they say is the restoration of democratic institutions and the rule of law.

Demonstrations broke out in the capital, Tirana, two weeks ago, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. The protests quickly turned violent as demonstrators lobbed Molotov cocktails at the Education Ministry and clashed with police.

Protesters also took aim at Rama’s Socialist Party headquarters in Tirana, squaring off with riot police who had been dispatched to protect government property.

Rama blamed "foreign hands who do not want Albania in the European Union and who promote the masks that claim to represent students, but who in fact, more than students, represent organized crime itself."

So far, the prime minister has refused to resign but has proposed entering into dialogue with the protesters.

FRANCE ROCKED BY STUDENT RIOTS AS HUNDREDS ARRESTED, VIOLENCE SPREADS NATIONWIDE

The violence taking place across Albania is a worrying sign for a country struggling to maintain its democracy and continue the path to EU accession.

"Congress is deeply concerned about the situation in Albania as the government uses excessive force against citizens who are demanding accountability and clean institutions. Corruption and narcotrafficking associated with the Rama government must be countered," Rep. Wilson told Fox News Digital in a statement.

The turmoil in Albania comes as the country has long sought European Union membership, which began in 2014 when it became an official candidate for accession. While the 2025 annual European Commission report stated that Albania made significant strides in judicial reforms and combating organized crime, the continued allegations of corruption in the Rama government and the current violence taking place will complicate its path to EU membership.

The student protests in Albania mirror the mass protests that took place in neighboring Serbia, where a student-led political movement toppled longtime leader Aleksandar Vučić.

"Vucic’s defeat by a student-backed movement, following nearly two years of demonstrations over corruption and government accountability, is a striking parallel with the unrest now confronting Rama in Albania, where protests have been ongoing for over 150 days," Agim Nesho, former Albanian ambassador to the U.N. and U.S., told Fox News.

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"In Albania, students and other citizens have been demonstrating since May, with the latest wave of daily protests intensifying demands for the resignation of a prime minister who has governed for more than 13 years with rampant corruption and declining public services," Nesho added.

Several Americans are believed to have been injured in a high-speed train collision that killed at least 68 people in Spain on Wednesday when one train collided with another that had stopped on the tracks.

The crash took place in Spain's Castilla-La Mancha, with the regional government confirming the death toll and adding that another 58 people required medical treatment in hospitals. Several Americans are believed to have been hurt in the crash, according to the State Department.

Rescue workers continue to search in the wreckage for survivors and bodies, with witnesses describing a gruesome scene.

Wednesday's incident is the second high-speed rail crash Spain has suffered this year.

Spain’s rail system operator ADIF said the crash occurred Wednesday morning in the province of Toledo. Both trains were carrying hundreds of passengers, and were headed in the same direction on a route from Madrid to Seville.

CRASH INVOLVING SPEEDING TRAIN, MINIBUS IN BELGIUM LEAVES 4 DEAD INCLUDING 2 CHILDREN

One train, run by the state-owned RENFE company, ran into the tail of the other train owned by private company IRYO that had stopped, knocking two of its cars off the track. Those companies were the same ones involved in January's crash.

Esther Padilla, a spokesperson for the Castilla-La Mancha regional government, said 397 passengers were on the RENFE train and 147 passengers on the IRYO train.

Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente attributed the deadly train collision to what he described as an "inexplicable" decision by the country's central rail control center to allow a train to resume traveling after a safety system malfunctioned.

Puente said the train's engineers were not responsible for the collision.

According to Puente, a computer malfunction caused a safety system covering roughly 39 miles of track to stop working around 8:30 a.m.

The disruption forced trains in the affected area to stop, but the central control center subsequently authorized the RENFE train to resume traveling without speed restrictions, he said.

Just over 20 minutes later, the RENFE train collided with the stopped IRYO train.

Puente said the RENFE train should never have been cleared to resume traveling while a stop signal remained active on the line. At a minimum, he said, the train should have been instructed to proceed at a reduced speed.

Officials are still working to determine the train's speed at the time of the collision, but Puente said it may have been traveling at approximately 124 mph.

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David Gómez, a construction worker, was working with his brother and another colleague nearby when they heard the crash and ran to help, he told the newspaper El País.

"People were trying to get out through the windows…. We cut through some fences to access the area and treated people with the first-aid kits we had brought," until emergency services arrived, he said. "As I was trying to pull a young woman out, there was a piece of a leg."

Spanish Health Minister Mónica García said emergency workers were focusing on rescuing survivors and bodies from the two most damaged train cars. She said the injured are being sent to different hospitals in the area.

"It was a high-speed impact, so we are expecting this to be a tragedy," García said.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the crash site and announced that his government would declare three days of national mourning.

"Today all of Spain is grieving," Sánchez said.

The prime minister also called for enhanced safety measures across the country's rail system following the second high-speed rail crash this year.

"It is unacceptable for a country like Spain to suffer two high-speed rail accidents in the same year," he said.

Passenger Ignacio Relaño was traveling on the RENFE train. He told state broadcaster TVE that the train had stopped momentarily on the line before it started again and then crashed into the IRYO.

"We all felt the train abruptly slowing down and then the impact," he said. "The car leaned to one side like it was about to tip over. I hit my nose, everything went flying, luggage, cellphones. Everything shook."

Another passenger recounted to Cadena Ser radio how she felt the train slam on the brakes and was thrown forward in her seat, breaking the small table in front of her. She said she saw body parts and trapped people covered in blood.

IRYO, an Italian-owned company, said in a statement that it has "activated its security protocols and is closely working with authorities."

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Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia said in a short statement on X that they were following news of the accident.

"We are deeply saddened and concerned by the train accident in Urda (Toledo)," the royal couple said. "We share in the grief of the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and we send our heartfelt support to the injured and all those affected."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From mass arrests in France to troop deployments in Italy, European leaders are taking varied approaches to protests and clashes across the continent. The unrest began in France in mid-September with student demonstrations over school conditions, then spread to other countries, where protests have centered on local grievances.

President Donald Trump has used the unrest to press his hard-line immigration message, blaming France’s protests on immigration and urging the country to close its borders.

PHOTOS SHOW AFTERMATH OF RIOTS AS MASKED GROUPS CLASH WITH POLICE ACROSS FRANCE

French President Emmanuel Macron pushed back, calling foreign leaders' comments "unacceptable and even stupid" and accusing them of exploiting France’s crisis for political gain.

Here’s how leaders across Europe are responding.

France vows to make rioters pay as cities assess damage

Macron has vowed that those who loot or destroy property will be held accountable and made to pay for the damage. French authorities deployed 70,000 police officers nationwide Saturday as demonstrations took place in Paris and other cities.

Some clashes broke out in several cities, including Paris, Lyon, Lille, Toulouse and Nantes. Police used tear gas, sound grenades and water cannons, and the Interior Ministry reported more than 1,300 arrests.

VIOLENCE ERUPTS AT FRANCE PROTESTS AS MACRON WARNS UNREST IS BEING EXPLOITED

Most union-organized marches were peaceful, though clashes broke out later in Paris and several other cities. Separately, a French intelligence assessment reportedly identified Antifa and other far-left groups as instigators of some of the violence, according to a French outlet.

Italy takes one of Europe's toughest lines

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned what she called "gangs of thugs" who used demonstrations to "sow chaos," and voiced support for police facing violence in several Italian cities.

Meloni moved quickly after the previous weekend’s looting and clashes, sending 500 additional soldiers to Milan and approving tougher penalties for minors involved in vandalism. She said destroying and stealing was a crime and that the state's response would be firm.

The measures put Meloni among the European leaders taking the most visible steps to deter further violence.

Greek police maintain a visible presence

While Greece has seen less unrest than France and other European countries, officials have been monitoring the risk of clashes as student and teacher demonstrations spread.

Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said the right to protest must be respected as long as demonstrations remain lawful, while condemning violence, looting and occupations.

Police still kept a visible presence at demonstrations earlier in the week, which largely passed without major violence.

Belgium accuses Antifa-linked activists of stoking clashes

Belgium's demonstrations began over education reforms and budget cuts, with young protesters taking to the streets in Brussels and Liège. Earlier clashes injured police, damaged public areas and blocked roads. Nearly 200 people were arrested, according to Belgian officials.

Interior Minister Bernard Quintin accused far-left activists, including people linked to Antifa, of infiltrating demonstrations and encouraging young people to commit violence.

Albania clashes escalate as protesters demand prime minister's ouster

In Albania’s capital, Tirana, student-led protests have grown into a broader challenge to Prime Minister Edi Rama, with demonstrators demanding his resignation and accusing his government of corruption and neglecting schools and public services.

US LAWMAKERS SOUND ALARM AS VIOLENCE GRIPS NATO ALLY ALBANIA AMID ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS

Police used tear gas and water cannons as more than 2,500 officers were deployed. Rama placed chairs outside his government headquarters and invited protesters to talk, but they rejected the gesture.

He said his government would address their concerns and warned that people responsible for violence could face criminal and financial consequences.

Spanish regional leaders vow consequences after Barcelona riots

In Spain, the unrest was largely concentrated in Barcelona, unlike France, where protests and clashes spread across multiple cities.

Police arrested 128 people in Barcelona after fires, vandalism and looting. Catalonia, the northeastern Spanish region that includes Barcelona, saw its regional president, Salvador Illa, condemn the violence and back the police response.

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Meanwhile, Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni said the city would take legal action against those responsible and warned that parents or guardians could face consequences for damage caused by their children.