A prison sentence and fines of up to 3,000 euros may be imposed on people caught committing uncivic acts in Barcelona.
These include: painting churches, urinating in the street, not picking up dog excrement, painting or graffiti on heritage buildings and subway cars, public transportation, among others.
The decision implies a drastic change in how, for example, graffiti was sanctioned in the city. Until now, these were administrative sanctions with fines of between 300 and 500 euros.
During the last five years, the Guardia Urbana has imposed an average of 150 to 200 sanctions.
Uncivic attitudes in Barcelona
With this commitment of the City Council, police controls will be intensified to prevent those who practice this type of acts from going unpunished.
For his part, Albert Batlle, deputy mayor for Security, assured that there will be criminal liability when graffiti implies “a significant affectation of a public good”.
Also in cases in which it forces the stoppage of public transportation due to “patrimonial aggression”.
Increased fines are intended to put an end to the impunity of graffiti artists who damage the city’s cultural and historical heritage and street furniture.
In this sense, the City Council set up 30 to 50 spaces in Barcelona to host the artistic responses of graffiti artists.
They also reinforced the cleaning crews for painting, which currently number 26 and work from Monday to Saturday.
The measures were taken as part of the “Cuidem Barcelona” campaign, which seeks to improve coexistence and reduce uncivic attitudes in public spaces.
