Benches Removed at Carrer d’Aldana Following Resident Pressure
The Ajuntament de Barcelona (Barcelona city council) has removed urban street furniture, including two benches, from the intersection of Carrer d’Aldana and Comte de Borrell in the Sant Antoni neighbourhood. The action was taken in late September 2026 at the request of local residents and with the approval of the educational community at Escola Aldana, where the furniture was located. Municipal sources told Totbarcelona the removal followed persistent reports of inappropriate use, including public alcohol and drug consumption. Local residents said the problems began years ago after the implementation of the superblock on Comte de Borrell, which introduced public seating now used by individuals engaging in anti-social behaviour.
Residents Report Sanitation and Safety Concerns
Neighbours on Carrer d’Aldana described ongoing issues, including discarded syringes and nitrous oxide canisters found near the school. They also reported incidents of public urination and defecation by a person in a vulnerable situation, whom they say requires urgent social and medical support. The city has been notified repeatedly, residents added. Although the benches were removed in late September, some chairs remain in the area and continue to be used for drinking. Residents noted that cleaning crews clean the area each morning before school opens, but problems recur in the evenings after the school closes.
“We’ve fought hard for this. It’s common sense. The incivility happened after school hours,”
Political Criticism Mounts Over Public Order
Daniel Sirera, leader of the PP at Barcelona City Council, called the removal of public seating a “collective failure.” He argued that street furniture should serve elderly residents, families, and children, not be taken over by those damaging public spaces.
“Eliminating these elements shows the municipal government has failed to ensure coexistence and civility,”
Sirera stressed that the benches and picnic tables were originally intended for community use but were instead occupied by people sleeping, using drugs, and littering. In September 2026, Barcelona’s full council passed a motion to censure Mayor Jaume Collboni over his administration’s handling of public order and incivility in Sant Antoni. The motion, proposed by Junts per Barcelona, was supported by Junts, PP, and Vox, while Barcelona en Comú and ERC abstained. Jordi Martí Galbis, Junts’ group leader at the council, said the situation has persisted for over a year without an effective response. In July 2025, local Sant Antoni associations had already written to city councillors Jordi Valls (Eixample) and Albert Batlle (Ciutat Vella), warning of the area’s “degradation” and describing it as a symptom of structural poverty leading to public health and safety risks. The Collboni administration said it would implement a shock plan. Valls confirmed in the September plenary that increased police presence and expanded social services are now being deployed, though he acknowledged progress is difficult.
Reported by Totbarcelona.
