Sant Adrià de Besòs is back in the spotlight after two firearms incidents in La Mina on Saturday, 18 May, reportedly linked to a dispute between two families. Shots were fired into the air at around 12:00 and again at about 13:45, according to El Periódico.
The first incident took place on Rambla de Camarón, where organisers were taking down equipment from a youth sports activity. The second happened near Carrer Mart and Carrer de Ponent. No injuries or street damage were reported in either case.
The community impact is now a key concern for the Sant Adrià de Besòs City Council, which plans to ask police for more action on public safety. The local government says several firearms incidents have taken place in La Mina in recent months, and residents have raised concerns about how often these episodes are happening.
Saturday’s events were at least the third firearms incident in La Mina since late April. In mid-May, a fight led to shots being fired into the air, then attackers reportedly hit a parked car with bullets shortly after. No one was injured in that case either.
Mossos d'Esquadra and Local Police responded to at least one alert on Saturday, but officers found no evidence or witnesses to confirm the detonations. The council will repeat its long-standing requests at the Local Security Board meeting on Wednesday, where it will meet the Catalan government's Department of Interior and police commanders.
The local executive wants more identifications, more searches and a stronger police presence in La Mina. The weekend incidents also sit within a wider pattern across Catalonia, with shootings reported in Badalona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and Tordera. In Badalona, a 10-year-old girl suffered minor injuries in Sant Roc after a stray bullet during a suspected gang killing. In L'Hospitalet, a man was injured in the arm by a gunshot. In Tordera, police were dealing with a suspected attack on a marijuana plantation.
Neighbourhood groups say the use of guns during a community event with children present crosses a line, but they also warn against normalising the violence or letting La Mina become more stigmatised. Last year, the La Mina Neighbourhood Educational Project, which brings together 42 local entities and services, called for an immediate self-protection plan with fast responses to serious incidents and protocols for closing facilities and suspending activities to protect minors and residents.
The Catalan government's Department of Social Rights is also preparing a tender for a community action service to respond to demands from socio-educational agents in the neighbourhood. Some residents, meanwhile, complained about a lack of police presence after Saturday's dispute. For more Barcelona-area coverage, see our sport and community pages.
Originally published by El Periódico Barcelona. Read original article.
