Barcelona is preparing for one of Catalonia’s largest police operations as Pope Leo XIV visits the city, with 5,600 Mossos d’Esquadra officers deployed, around 25% of the force, according to Interior Minister Núria Parlon on Thursday.
The operation will involve the Spanish National Police, Civil Guard, Royal Household, Vatican Police and Barcelona’s Guàrdia Urbana, which will add 500 agents. Justice Minister Ramon Espadaler said Catalonia is prepared, while Barcelona deputy mayor for security Albert Batlle said it would be a complex operation.
The Pope’s itinerary includes the Sagrada Família, the Raval neighbourhood, Brians prison and Montserrat. A one-kilometre Popemobile route through central Barcelona, ending at Antoni Gaudí’s basilica, is expected to be a key security point. Between Carrer Còrsega and Carrer Rosselló, the vehicle will be open-topped, travel at about 10 kilometres per hour and be surrounded by security capsules of police vehicles and officers on foot.
Parlon said the aim is to guarantee maximum security with minimum impact on residents. Deputy mayor Laia Bonet said the city wants to keep functioning as much as possible, although some disruption will be unavoidable. For background on local coverage, see our news tag page.
Traffic and parking restrictions will apply around Barcelona Cathedral and the Episcopal Palace from 7am on Monday 8 June until 10am on Thursday 11 June. In the Raval, streets near Sant Agustí church and Plaça Gardunya will face full road closures between 9 and 10 June.
The Eixample is likely to be the most affected area. On 10 and 11 June, several street sections will be closed, including Avinguda Diagonal from Plaça dels Cinc d’Oros to Carrer Bruc, and parts of Carrer Rosselló, Carrer Pau Claris, Carrer Roger de Llúria, Carrer Bruc, Carrer Girona, Carrer Bailèn, Passeig de Sant Joan and Carrer Roger de Flor. Further restrictions will affect Carrer Nàpols, Carrer Sicília, Carrer Sardenya, Carrer Marina, Carrer Lepant, Carrer Provença, Carrer Mallorca and Carrer València, especially near the Sagrada Família.
To help the public follow the events, two large screens will be installed at Glòries and Arc de Triomf. Bus routes will also be affected, while the city council says the metro will be the most efficient way to travel. Services on lines L2 and L5, which serve the Sagrada Família, will increase by up to 65% on 10 June, with an extra 150 staff deployed. Some Bicing stations will also be closed, and Parlon has urged residents to plan their journeys in advance.
Batlle said the objective is to ensure the planned events run properly, residents can have a good experience and people still have mobility options. Specialised Mossos units, including Tedax explosives experts and the GEI unit, will be deployed, along with person filtering during the Popemobile route. Drones and helicopters will be used for aerial surveillance, and unauthorised flying devices will be monitored. All operations will be coordinated from a 24-hour command centre, Cecor, with representatives from all police forces, according to Parlon.