German tourists staging a terror attack in a Spanish resort city caused panic and injuries

A group of around 200 people soon began screaming and holding items which tourists thought were guns.

The flash mob, organized by German tourists, descended on a busy waterside promenade in the Catalan resort town at around 10 pm local time on Tuesday, the Local reported.

Unsuspecting vacationers in the Spanish town of Platja d’Aro thought they were caught up in a terrorist attack after a flash mob arrived at a waterfront promenade.

Believing tourists were the victims of a terror attack, visitors began running for cover, causing a stampede. Someone also shouted “they’re firing!”

It later emerged, however, that the items being held by the flash mob were tripods – not guns – and that they were posing as paparazzi for a staged “celebrity sighting.”

La Vanguardia newspaper reported that the gathering was organized on social media.

Five German tourists were arrested on charges of causing public disorder. They are scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.

Those responsible for the flash mob apologized once they realized the distress they had caused, according to Councillor Josep Maria Solé, as cited by local news station TV3.

Local authorities urged calmness among the panicked tourists and explained that the incident was not a terror attack.