Barcelona police are stepping up weekend knife controls in the city’s northern districts, with checks focused on parks, metro entrances and other busy night-time spots. The operation is part of the wider Plan Daga, which aims to reduce violence involving bladed weapons.
The main areas targeted are Nou Barris, Horta-Guinardó and Sant Andreu, with occasional checks in parts of Sant Martí near Rambla de Prim. Police say these are places where knife-related incidents have been recorded, including fights, threats, assaults and robberies, often during weekend gatherings in local parks and after outdoor drinking.
Deputy Mayor for Security Albert Batlle said recent violent episodes in the city, involving both bladed weapons and pistols, are serious and a cause for concern. He also pointed to close coordination between the Mossos d'Esquadra and the Guàrdia Urbana.
One of the main focus points is Turó de la Peira Park, where controls are set up at access points on Friday and Saturday evenings. Similar operations have also been carried out in Can Dragó Park and Pegaso Park, with plainclothes and uniformed officers from the Mossos and the Guàrdia Urbana working together before night patrols continue in the neighbourhood.
Officers also check entrances to nearby metro stations, including Vilapicina and La Sagrera, as well as busy leisure and shopping areas. The Mossos deploy officers from Public Security and Public Order units, including ARRO and the Mobile Brigade, to carry out searches and support the controls.
The tighter checks come after a rise in knife attacks across Catalonia in May, with a dozen incidents reported. Seven happened in the first 72 hours of the month, leaving one person dead in Esplugues and another in Barcelona’s Raval district, with seven more injured. The Mossos described those cases as isolated incidents, but said they had reinforced security in crowded streets and squares.
Plan Daga, which was stepped up in September 2024, has also produced lower knife-crime figures in the first three months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. According to Mossos data, incidents fell from 1,140 to 780, while weapons seized dropped from 2,440 to 2,125. The force says it confiscates knives most often, followed by larger blades such as machetes, along with other weapons including swords, katanas and ornamental axes.
Batlle also said the Guàrdia Urbana’s visibility plan has improved contact with residents and local businesses, but added that weapons on the streets and drug trafficking still need attention. The joint operations often run alongside Kanpai actions against repeat offenders. For more on the wider crackdown, see our report on Plan Daga in Catalonia and our community coverage from across Barcelona.
