Spain Tactical: Protests, events slated to take place in Barcelona, Madrid on June 18-20; maintain heightened vigilance

Jun 2024

13:46 UTC

Reports indicate several events and protests are slated to take place in Barcelona and Madrid on June 18-20. Details of which are as follows:

In Barcelona, a Formula 1 car exhibition and associated events, including the live road show, are slated to take place at Passeig de Gracia starting from 18:00 (local time) on June 19.
However, in response to this event, authorities will implement multiple traffic restrictions, including road closures and scheduled changes to public transportation services, around Passeig de Gracia starting from 16:00 on June 18 until 06:00 on June 20. Further details regarding the same can be found here. (In Spanish)
In response to the exhibition, activists from various civil society and environmental organizations will hold a protest at the corner of Arago Street and Balmes Street in Barcelona, starting at 17:30 on June 19, near the road show location.
This protest is being held to denounce the event, citing tourist saturation and “citizen unrest over the privatization of public spaces.” Protesters are also criticizing the exhibition and the roadshow for its inconsistency with Barcelona’s current pollution policies.

In Madrid, unionized public sector female workers associated with multiple trade unions will hold a rally in front of the European Union Representation, in Paseo de la Castellana, 46, starting at 18:30 on June 18.
The protest aims to demand that the Spanish government end the “abusively temporary contracts” of public workers and make them indefinite.
The rally will follow a meeting organized by the Federacion Estatal de Trabajadoras de la Administracion Publica (FETAP-CGT) to discuss the latest ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding the contract conditions of public workers.

Based on precedent and the groups’ mobilizational capabilities, the protest in Barcelona is likely to attract turnout in the low-to-mid hundreds, whereas the Madrid protest is likely to witness turnout in the high dozens to low hundreds.
While the protest in Madrid is likely to transpire largely peacefully, given the involvement of climate activists, the anti-Formula 1 exhibition protest in Barcelona carries latent potential for unrest in the form of clashes between the protesters and the police. This is especially so given the tendency of climate groups to resort to disruptive tactics such as road blockades.
As such, a bolstered security presence is likely to be deployed near the European Union Representation in Madrid as well as Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona during the slated timings.
Significant disruptions to pedestrian and vehicular movement are expected near Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona from June 18 late afternoon hours until June 20 early morning hours due to the Formula 1 exhibition.

Those operating or residing in Barcelona on June 19 are advised to maintain heightened vigilance due to the latent potential for unrest at the Formula 1 event protest during the evening hours.
Those operating or residing in Barcelona and Madrid on June 18-20 are advised to remain cognizant of authorities’ updates and allot for traffic-related disruptions near the abovementioned locations due to slated protests and events.

Low

Spain

Medium

Credible

Reports indicate several events and protests are slated to take place in Barcelona and Madrid on June 18-20. Details of which are as follows:

In Barcelona, a Formula 1 car exhibition and associated events, including the live road show, are slated to take place at Passeig de Gracia starting from 18:00 (local time) on June 19.
However, in response to this event, authorities will implement multiple traffic restrictions, including road closures and scheduled changes to public transportation services, around Passeig de Gracia starting from 16:00 on June 18 until 06:00 on June 20. Further details regarding the same can be found here. (In Spanish)
In response to the exhibition, activists from various civil society and environmental organizations will hold a protest at the corner of Arago Street and Balmes Street in Barcelona, starting at 17:30 on June 19, near the road show location.
This protest is being held to denounce the event, citing tourist saturation and “citizen unrest over the privatization of public spaces.” Protesters are also criticizing the exhibition and the roadshow for its inconsistency with Barcelona’s current pollution policies.

In Madrid, unionized public sector female workers associated with multiple trade unions will hold a rally in front of the European Union Representation, in Paseo de la Castellana, 46, starting at 18:30 on June 18.
The protest aims to demand that the Spanish government end the “abusively temporary contracts” of public workers and make them indefinite.
The rally will follow a meeting organized by the Federacion Estatal de Trabajadoras de la Administracion Publica (FETAP-CGT) to discuss the latest ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding the contract conditions of public workers.

Based on precedent and the groups’ mobilizational capabilities, the protest in Barcelona is likely to attract turnout in the low-to-mid hundreds, whereas the Madrid protest is likely to witness turnout in the high dozens to low hundreds.
While the protest in Madrid is likely to transpire largely peacefully, given the involvement of climate activists, the anti-Formula 1 exhibition protest in Barcelona carries latent potential for unrest in the form of clashes between the protesters and the police. This is especially so given the tendency of climate groups to resort to disruptive tactics such as road blockades.
As such, a bolstered security presence is likely to be deployed near the European Union Representation in Madrid as well as Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona during the slated timings.
Significant disruptions to pedestrian and vehicular movement are expected near Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona from June 18 late afternoon hours until June 20 early morning hours due to the Formula 1 exhibition.

Those operating or residing in Barcelona on June 19 are advised to maintain heightened vigilance due to the latent potential for unrest at the Formula 1 event protest during the evening hours.
Those operating or residing in Barcelona and Madrid on June 18-20 are advised to remain cognizant of authorities’ updates and allot for traffic-related disruptions near the abovementioned locations due to slated protests and events.

Low

Spain

Medium

Credible

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