To ensure coexistence, mobility and security, the Barcelona City Police, the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Port Police and the Barcelona Civil Protection, Prevention, Fire Extinction and Rescue Service (SCPEIS) will be rolling out a coordinated operation for La Mercè 2026.

Security and coexistence

The City Police will be stepping up its presence in the main festival spaces and access points with the goal of increasing police visibility and proximity with local residents. In coordination with the Mossos d’Esquadra and the rest of the corps involved, preventive action will be carried out to avoid anti-social behaviour, prevent crime and guarantee people’s safety and security in the different festival areas.

Actions will be increased to detect and take away bladed weapons and other dangerous items in streets and squares through preventive checks in busy places. Officers will have hand-held metal detectors to improve the detection of hidden arms.

The operation also includes specific measures to combat unauthorised vending, the consumption of alcohol and substances in public places, the inconvenience associated with nightlife and other behaviour that goes against coexistence and the appropriate use of public space.

Drones will be used again for operational support at crowded events. This technology offers aerial images in real time, improving the coordination capacity of emergency services and facilitating decision-making in any incident. Flights will be made at the main festival spaces, such as the Bogatell beach, Av. Reina Maria Cristina, the Moll de la Fusta wharf, Pl. Catalunya, Av. Catedral and the locations of drone displays and fireworks displays.

Prevention and support against gender violence and LGBTI-phobia

The City Police will be strengthening safe routes, particularly in nightlife areas and at the events with the largest volumes of people. This comes in addition to the established routes in different areas to reach the nearest public transport stops: the seafront, Poblenou, Paral·lel and Gràcia/Sant Gervasi.

Purple points will also be offering information at the seafront at Bogatell beach and in Av. Reina Maria Cristina to raise awareness and provide coordination against possible sexual aggressions or cases of LGBTI-phobia. The points will be open on Friday 25 September, from 7.30 pm to 3 am, and Saturday 26 September, from 6.30 pm to 3 pm. Besides the fixed points, various pairs of professionals will be out and about on foot, identified with specific armbands, carrying out itinerant tasks linked to prevention, information and support in festival spaces at night and in the early hours.

La Mercè will be conducting a pilot project this year of a ‘Mobile Purple Point’ around the concert areas in Av. Reina Maria Cristina and at the Bogatell beach, coinciding with the opening hours of purple points. The initiative will distribute 1,500 keyrings and 1,500 wristbands with NFC technology. These can be activated discreetly and send an emergency alert from mobile phones to directly contact the support operation.

Metro all night and extra cleaning

To get around the city during the local festival, people are advised to use public transport particularly the metro, which will be operating non-stop on the nights of Wednesday 23, Friday 25 and Saturday 26 September. On Thursday 24 and Sunday 27 the metro will be operating until midnight.

The number of trains in circulation will be increased by 30%, coinciding with the busiest events, with extra staff laid on to help the public and more cleaning staff. The capacity of bus services will also be increased, facilitating access to major events, with additional vehicles or articulated buses laid on.

Over the five festival days, from 23 to 27 September, extra cleaning and waste collection services will be in place, with a total of 530 teams and 1,156 workers to complement the city’s usual services. In addition, 1,233 litter bins and 205 waste containers will be installed and the graffiti-cleaning service will be maintained.