Barcelona will be at the centre of a major police operation when Pope Leo XIV visits Catalonia from 9 to 10 June. A total of 6,100 officers from Catalan and Spanish forces will be deployed to secure the visit and manage movement around key sites in the city and beyond.
Interior Minister Núria Parlon said the operation will be one of the largest ever carried out in the region. She said the aim is to keep people safe while limiting disruption as much as possible. The terrorist alert level remains at 4 out of 5.
The command centre will open on the night of 8 June at the Mossos d'Esquadra headquarters in Egara, Sabadell, and will stay active until the Pope leaves the country. Agencies involved include the Mossos d'Esquadra, Barcelona's Guàrdia Urbana, the Spanish National Police, the Civil Guard, the Royal Household and Vatican Police. For more local coverage, see our Catalonia news page.
Security checks will focus on high-attendance locations, including the Sagrada Família, Barcelona Cathedral, the Episcopal Palace, the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium and Montserrat Monastery. In restricted areas, only accredited people and residents who need access will be allowed through. Police will also use temporary street closures and controlled movement measures to manage the Pope's travel.
Traffic restrictions are expected mainly in Ciutat Vella, Eixample and the Montjuïc area. Near the Sagrada Família, Rosselló street will close between Diagonal and Lepant, and traffic will be restricted across nine blocks around the basilica. The Sagrada Família metro station will also close during the main events. TMB will increase metro services and add shuttle buses to Montjuïc, while Rodalies and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat services will be reinforced.
At Montserrat, only 70 accredited coaches will be allowed access. Other visitors will need to use the rack railway or cable car, with advance booking and a reduced fare of €7.50. For public events, including the Pope's open-top Popemobile routes, attendees will face security checks and access limits if areas become too crowded.
The plan also covers airspace control, risk analysis, accreditation management and public communication. Mossos units involved include citizen security, public order, traffic, bomb disposal, intelligence, canine units and transport and underground teams.
