High Court Backs City's Safety Veto

The High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) has upheld Barcelona's decision to exclude security firm Apex Integrated Solutions, formerly Stride Services, from municipal public procurement until 2029. The ruling, published on Friday 13th November 2026, dismisses the company’s request to suspend the ban, which stems from safety lapses at two major public events. Barcelona City Council imposed the three-year exclusion in September 2025 after determining that Stride Services committed a very serious offence by failing to meet safety and organisational obligations during the Festa Major de Poblenou in September 2024 and the Three Kings Parade in January 2025.

Safety Failures at Public Events

During the Festa Major de Poblenou, the Mataró-based firm was responsible for access and traffic control. Official documentation cited "negligence" in security operations. Months later, during the Three Kings Parade in the Sant Martí district, further deficiencies in auxiliary operations were observed, placing attendees, including dozens of children, at risk. The council concluded that the company’s performance created dangerous situations, prompting the sanction and exclusion from all municipal contracts. The ban took effect upon the firm’s registration in the Electronic Register of Tendering and Classified Companies (RELI).

Company’s Appeal Rejected

Stride Services challenged the ban through administrative channels, exhausting them by January 2026. It then filed a judicial complaint with the TSJC in May 2026, requesting provisional suspension of the measure. The firm argued that the exclusion would cause severe economic and reputational damage, potentially leading to layoffs or bankruptcy. However, the court reviewed its 2025 financial accounts, which showed total revenue of €2.3 million, with only €320,000, about 14%, coming from Barcelona City Council contracts.

Public safety at mass events must take precedence over the economic interests of any company.

The TSJC ruled that any financial harm could be compensated if the company wins the ongoing legal proceedings. It also noted that Apex Integrated Solutions remains free to bid for contracts with other public administrations.

The court’s current decision is provisional: it maintains the ban but does not yet rule on its final legality. That determination will come in the main trial. Until then, the exclusion remains in force. Apex Integrated Solutions has been described as a successor to the now-bankrupt Wakeful, a controversial security contractor in Catalonia. Investigations by the Labour Inspectorate found both firms belonged to the same business group, though no irregularities in worker assignments were detected. Separate exclusions remain in place for the company in the councils of Salt and Lloret de Mar due to serious operational breaches. Despite Wakeful’s suspension of payments in May 2025, Apex has continued to gain ground in public tenders across the region.

Sources: Crónica Global.