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Barcelona has once again been the scene of violence in its metro network, a recurring issue that seems to lack a sustainable solution.
On January 26, a massive brawl at the Trinitat Vella station left at least two people injured by stabbing, reigniting criticism of the city’s public security management.
This incident, which adds to a long list of violent assaults and altercations in public transport, reflects an alarming situation that, far from improving, continues to worsen.
Around 6:40 a.m. last Sunday, metro users witnessed a fight between two groups of people, apparently triggered by an attempted robbery. The injured, two individuals who were stabbed, were quickly attended to by emergency teams and taken to a nearby hospital.
However, the fact that the victims have not filed a complaint reveals a dangerous normalization of violence in the city, as if citizens no longer expect either the police or metro security guards to act effectively.
This is not an isolated event. Reports indicate that the number of assaults in the Barcelona metro has risen exponentially, reflecting a trend that appears to be a direct consequence of poor political management.
The security problem in Barcelona has taken an even graver turn. Metro security guards, who should serve as the first line of defense in protecting passengers, have been forced to call strikes due to poor working conditions and a lack of support from authorities.
Just days before this latest incident, security personnel called off a strike after reaching an agreement allowing them to carry personal defense sprays.
Barcelona, once a model city in terms of safety, is now mired in chaos, partly due to lax public order policies. Ordinary citizens have borne the brunt of the inaction of political leaders at both the municipal and regional levels.
The administration of Jaume Collboni, mayor of Barcelona, has shown total indifference to the security issues plaguing the city. His administration’s priorities seem focused on ideological matters, such as promoting separatist policies, rather than addressing the real problems affecting Barcelona’s residents.
Similarly, the Generalitat government, led by Salvador Illa, has proven equally incapable of ensuring the safety of its citizens. Instead of implementing effective control and security policies, the Generalitat has focused on advancing its separatist agenda, disregarding the impact of this neglect on the daily lives of citizens. The insecurity in Barcelona’s metro, as well as its streets, is not an isolated issue; it is part of a broader pattern of mismanagement that undermines security across the region.
The issue doesn’t end here. In a country where local authorities are unable to enforce the law, responsibility also falls on the central government. President Pedro Sánchez and his administration have been complicit in this debacle. Instead of focusing on ensuring the safety and well-being of Spaniards, Sánchez and his allies have demonstrated alarming indifference to the crisis in places like Barcelona.
The lack of cooperation between Spain’s central government, the Generalitat, and the Barcelona City Council reflects an institutional failure leaving citizens defenseless.
Sánchez’s policies, which have prioritized alliances with separatist parties over the defense of Spain’s unity, have left many regions of the country, especially Catalonia, spiraling into chaos. Not only is separatism gaining ground, but citizens are also being abandoned, bearing the consequences of a lack of security.
In Barcelona, this neglect has become a critical issue. Citizens no longer feel safe in their own city, and the metro, which should be an accessible and secure means of transport for all, has become a place of constant risk. The inability of authorities to curb the violence reflects the widespread failure of the public security system in Catalonia.