Badalona Mayor Xavier García Albiol has prohibited alcohol consumption on the city's beaches for the upcoming Sant Joan festival. The Ajuntament will also implement strict controls at metro and Renfe train station exits to prevent people from bringing alcohol into the city.
New Rules for Sant Joan Celebrations
This measure targets the traditional Sant Joan celebrations, a major annual festival across Catalonia. Many residents, particularly young people, often gather on beaches with drinks to mark the shortest night of the year. Mayor Albiol stated, "We are not willing for uncivil people to come to our city."
He explained his reasoning in an interview with BDN360 on Televisió de Badalona. "The beach is used to celebrate the festival, which is very good," Mayor Albiol said. "What is not very good is that people come who confuse the beach with another space and their behaviour is not desirable."
Increased Transport and Beach Controls
Police controls will be in place at all beach access points and on the beaches themselves. This aims to enforce the new alcohol ban directly where celebrations occur.
Additionally, the mayor acknowledged that many people from municipalities without beach access travel to coastal towns for the celebrations. To address this, officials will check passengers at the Renfe station and metro exits. These checks will stop individuals from entering Badalona with alcohol or drugs.
Ensuring Public Order
Badalona, a city with over 230,000 residents just north-east of Barcelona, often sees a significant influx of visitors during Sant Joan. The new policy reflects a broader effort to maintain public order during large public gatherings.
Mayor Albiol emphasised the city's firm stance on public conduct. He confirmed, "Whoever comes to our city will not be able to carry drugs, because there will be controls, and will not be able to carry alcohol." These measures seek to ensure a safer and more orderly Sant Joan celebration for everyone.
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Originally published by 20 Minutos Barcelona. Read original article.
