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Date Published: 23/08/2021
ARCHIVED - Multiple botellones raise fears of new increase in Covid cases
Police officers in Spain have had to deal with several illegal parties this weekend with young people across the country disregarding Covid rules
Despite the country being in the midst of the fifth wave of the Covid pandemic, parties both indoors and out have been a common theme across Spain this weekend, especially typical Spanish street parties, or botellones, where hundreds of young people gather to consume alcohol and socialise in large groups.
In Barcelona, police officers had to move on around 5,500 people on Saturday night (August 21) and the early hours of Sunday morning (August 22); around 4,000 people were in the plazas de Grácia while the remaining 1,500 were in other common botellón locations, such as the beach.
Further north, police officers in Asturias disbanded around 500 youngsters in the urban centre of Llanes after nightlife venues closed in the city and, in Ribadesella, two separate botellones with around 200 attendants each were dissolved on the beach and on the beach promenade.
Officers in Logroño, in La Rioja, also had their work cut out as they had to disband a botellon in Parque del Ebro while having bottles and cups thrown at them.
Meanwhile on the Costa del Sol, police officers in Málaga were forced to shut down a nightclub in Torremolinos which was hosting a festival after social media was flooded with videos of the crowded event, showing hundreds of people not wearing masks or social distancing.
On the Costa Cálida in the Region of Murcia, botellones are a common occurrence, and this weekend has been no exception, with residents in Cartagena complaining about the litter left behind on beaches by young people, especially in La Manga and Cabo de Palos.
The irresponsible behaviour, mainly by young people, has led to concerns that Covid figures could start to rise again in Spain, as care homes are already showing an increase in cases.
Although most of the population has been vaccinated, there are still a significant number of new Covid cases every day in Spain and the situation in care homes has opened a debate about whether a third jab is necessary to increase the population’s protection against the virus.
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