Christmas returns to Barcelona with all its traditions, and some new ones, which are sticking around. Christmas lighting, fairs, markets, sweets and mangers are identifying elements of the festivity, but also more modern initiatives return which are already a classic. One of them is the biker papanoeladawhich will be this Sunday, December 15, and, as if it were a parade, consists of a parade of a multitude of motorcycles with the drivers dressed as Santa Claus.
The call is at 5 p.m. on Tarongers Streetin Montjuïc, and the march will begin at 5:30 p.m. This will slowly descend to Gran Via, passing in front of Poble Espanyol and crossing Plaza Espanya. From Gran Via, continue in a straight line to Plaza Catalunya, and go down either Passeig de Gràcia or Pelai Street. From there they will parade past monuments such as the Arc de Triomf and travel along Passeig Isabel II and Colón, until they reach Paral·lel and return to Plaza Espanya.
The call maintains anonymity
Some Christmas proposals are never immune to controversy, as is also the case with the manger scene in Plaza Sant Jaume. The same thing happens with the biker Papanoelada, a popular initiative which has always generated discord among the Barcelona population. For this reason, it has never received municipal authorization. In fact, it is called through Telegram groups and, to avoid legal problems, There is no person or organization that is responsible.
The spontaneous call through social networks makes preventive action by Barcelona City Council difficult. From Telegram and from anonymity, the organization has asked respect traffic rules and safety measures. “We are fans of deserved fines. Any uncivil act can be sanctioned by the authorities. And we are happy,” they noted.
The previous edition was preceded by a charitable event. However, the organization completely disassociated itself from the solidarity initiative and, for the moment, no event of this type has been called this year.
Complaints and requests from the Sindicatura de Greuges
The Greuges Syndicate, for the third consecutive year, asks the City Council to prevent the biker Papanoelada. They have recalled that there are already unfavorable reports from the Urban Police, as in 2019. If it cannot be avoided, they ask for effective action by the local police force with sanctions for all offending behaviors that are detected.
The disagreement with the biker parade is due to the fact that “it generates a great environmental impact, a mobility problem and impacts on people’s health, as well as a security risk”. Likewise, reckless driving is criticized, which they claim is a common trend in these concentrations, and the noise level, which exceeds the legal limits allowed in the city, with peaks of 85 decibels.
The Audit Office considers that there is no adequate control of the event organizers and that in previous editions, these They had not communicated it sufficiently in advance to the competent authorities. Thus, by limiting reaction time, they claim that it becomes even more difficult to minimize the inconveniences of walking.
Another note that adds to his long list of complaints is the coincidence of this act with the new edition of the TV3 Marathon, dedicated this year to respiratory diseases. The Ombudsman considers that precisely at this moment there is sensitivity to “act urgently in order to improve air quality.”
The opposition to the Collboni government has taken up the gauntlet of the Sindicatura’s complaint. The BComú councilor Marc Serra has expressed its “deep” concern about the call for the biker Papanoelada. Representing his municipal group, he has urged the council to avoid this Christmas march if You do not have the necessary permissions.
The City Council cannot stop the initiative
The Deputy Mayor for Security of Barcelona City Council, Albert Batlleassured this Wednesday that they will act with “all the forcefulness” they can. No notice has been received in the Urban Guard or the General Directorate of Security Administrationfor which Batlle has warned: “We will hardly be able to avoid the march, because we do not know who the organizer is.”
However, he said he will do what he can to limit the negative impact of the parade. He said that the Mossos d’Esquadra will “monitor” the concentration and that the Urban Police will have a device to deal with “contingencies.” He also stated that, If necessary, traffic will be diverted and action will be taken in situations of reckless driving or violations.
Finally, Batlle ruled out any act of prohibition, since this could generate the opposite effect and “expand its impact.” He added that riding A preventive police device would be “disproportionate, costly and difficult to manage”.
A ‘Tionada’ to cut off Gran Via and prevent passage
As happened last year, several citizen entities have called a mobilization on Gran Via with the desire to close the road to motorists. Bicicleta Club Catalunya, Federació d’Associaciones de Veïns de Barcelona, Revolta Escolar and Eixample Respira have joined forces to stop the biker Papanoelada.
This same Sunday, they have called on Gran Via and Urgell Street a Tionada at 5:30 p.m. to “claim a safer and healthier Gran Via.” The event is born for “report and prevent the biker Papanoelada, an uncivil action that generates noise and pollution, from passing through Gran Via.”
The starting signal for the Tionada will take place at 4:30 p.m. at Plaça Universitat,with a family bike ride with the uncle, and will continue with a solidarity toy collection.
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