According to the Vanguardia today pickpockets are leaving the previously lucrative Killing Fields of Lines 1 and 3 to hit the tourists as they wait for Metros on Line 5 especially at stations Sagrada Familia, Diagonal and Verdageur. One of Line 5's advantages as far as robbing is concerned is that the trains are nearly always full and people have to push up against one another to get in so it's difficult to feel those probing experienced hands searching for wallets, money and credit cards.
My recent experiences on lines 3 and 1 apparently are all too common. The modus operandi varies but basically is the same. Pick a victim. Surround him. Distract him. Pick his pocket. Get away from the area. Return later and start all over again. I was picked out near Drassaanes. As I exited a large man o9n the platform blocked my exit while another behind me got my wallet. I was distracted as I asked the man to move out of the way- which he did once they had got my wallet. Luckily I realised what had happened and chased the man who had been behind me on the Metro. He gave me back the wallet and walked off. I checked it and then thumped him hard as I was angry ( probably a stupid thing to do!)
Last week on Line 3 I was on a crowded escalator when a small woman pushed in front of me. When we got to the top she dropped some coffee beans on the floor and stopped to picj them up while another woman tried (in vain) to get my wallet. A few minutes later at the top of another esclator a man stopped in front of me. I glanced behind me and saw the coffee bean woman so I continued walking 'through' the crouching man knocking him over. People behind trampled on him too!
Apparently both these methods are very commonly used but of course tourists may not know this. The Metro staff (drivers) have even taken to using megaphones to warn people about the presence of groups that look suspicious at key platforms like Diagonal. A bit like huntsmen blowing the trumpet when they see fox!
Barcelona is trying to do something about it though.A new plain clothes force will be patrolling the Metro and its platforms this summer and will beactive
Thursday, 9 June 2011
Violence filmed in Pza Cataluña
A recent emotive Utube (shot May 29, the morning after thousand of fans had been celebrating Barças European Cup win) showed police using violence against people from the encampment in Plaza Cataluña and against two individuals in particular: an old tramp and a man in a wheelchair. The media naturally made a meal out of the whole affair and yesterday Counsellor Puig who is responsible for security in the region made a statement to the Catalan Parliament.
He admitted that (he) and the police had made errors in attempts to 'control' the population in the square. He stated that: one, timing (early morning) was not ideal, but he had wanted to avoid a 'night attack' which would have shown that the police were trying to dislodge the indignados from their encampment; two
police had understimated the violence the campers would use;
As excuse he stated some troublesome Barca fans had gone into the camp and used missiles from there against the police. Police had sought dialogue but couldn't find anyone to talk to who was a representative for the group of campers.
He denied that police initiated any violence and that they only reacted to violence used against them. Equally he denied that the police beat up a tramp and the man in the wheelchair stating that the latter was used as a human shield.
Furthermore he criticised the media for showing biased film footage and for releasing the address of a policeman involved which resulted in the officer's house being graffitied.
He asked parliament what kind of public order they wanted in the country - one in which violence against the police is condoned and goes unpunished?
The situation is, like most clashes between police and demonstrators, not black and white. Aggression gives rise to aggression. Police get their blanket orders to contain any crowds whether passive or violent but the police are individuals too. Security chiefs don't always get it right. No politician or police chief likes carrying the can because it can mean political death. The best way is to spread blame around thinly on your supporters and thickly on the opposition, if possible further tarnishing thir image - in this case the indignados camping in the square - who are not popular in an area with businesses which feed off tourism. Whether the media were biased in (not) mentioning/showing the violence is debatable (May 9 was the first mention I found in the right wing La Vanguardia for example) but what is not debatable is the unfaked extreme and excessive violence filmed.
Unfortunately the police have a poor record all over Europe for the way that they control political demonstrations - it's true of course that they have an extremely difficult job but there is no excuse for unnecessary violence. G8 and G20 meetings are notably political flashpoints as are demonstrations against human rights, racism and unemployment as seen in the UK, Greece Italy or France - especially when someone is killed or seriously injured as a result of police action. Of course it is also difficult to assess how much provocation of police is used - a male drunk can be extremely unreasonable and violent and a large crowd even worse. In the past Cataluña's Mossos have come in for much criticism for over-zealous LAPD style control of people they arrested. The problem for them now is modern technology has made police actions instantly visible and counter-action possible to the whole world through social networks Twitter, Facebook and Utube which now act as a balance to the battery of security cameras around the world secretly filming our daily lives. Whichever side of the socio-political fence you sit on you are no longer invisible and Sr Puig and his Mossos should have known that.
He admitted that (he) and the police had made errors in attempts to 'control' the population in the square. He stated that: one, timing (early morning) was not ideal, but he had wanted to avoid a 'night attack' which would have shown that the police were trying to dislodge the indignados from their encampment; two
police had understimated the violence the campers would use;
As excuse he stated some troublesome Barca fans had gone into the camp and used missiles from there against the police. Police had sought dialogue but couldn't find anyone to talk to who was a representative for the group of campers.
He denied that police initiated any violence and that they only reacted to violence used against them. Equally he denied that the police beat up a tramp and the man in the wheelchair stating that the latter was used as a human shield.
Furthermore he criticised the media for showing biased film footage and for releasing the address of a policeman involved which resulted in the officer's house being graffitied.
He asked parliament what kind of public order they wanted in the country - one in which violence against the police is condoned and goes unpunished?
The situation is, like most clashes between police and demonstrators, not black and white. Aggression gives rise to aggression. Police get their blanket orders to contain any crowds whether passive or violent but the police are individuals too. Security chiefs don't always get it right. No politician or police chief likes carrying the can because it can mean political death. The best way is to spread blame around thinly on your supporters and thickly on the opposition, if possible further tarnishing thir image - in this case the indignados camping in the square - who are not popular in an area with businesses which feed off tourism. Whether the media were biased in (not) mentioning/showing the violence is debatable (May 9 was the first mention I found in the right wing La Vanguardia for example) but what is not debatable is the unfaked extreme and excessive violence filmed.
Unfortunately the police have a poor record all over Europe for the way that they control political demonstrations - it's true of course that they have an extremely difficult job but there is no excuse for unnecessary violence. G8 and G20 meetings are notably political flashpoints as are demonstrations against human rights, racism and unemployment as seen in the UK, Greece Italy or France - especially when someone is killed or seriously injured as a result of police action. Of course it is also difficult to assess how much provocation of police is used - a male drunk can be extremely unreasonable and violent and a large crowd even worse. In the past Cataluña's Mossos have come in for much criticism for over-zealous LAPD style control of people they arrested. The problem for them now is modern technology has made police actions instantly visible and counter-action possible to the whole world through social networks Twitter, Facebook and Utube which now act as a balance to the battery of security cameras around the world secretly filming our daily lives. Whichever side of the socio-political fence you sit on you are no longer invisible and Sr Puig and his Mossos should have known that.
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
Tourist traps: Summer's here again
Houdini lives on - in Barcelona. Free paper, Que, reports that police have arrested two men for stealing valuable objects from passengers' luggage on the Gerona Airport-Barcelona bus run - from inside the luggage compartment. Their modus operandi was unique, simple, and effective. One man buys a ticket and hands two suitcases to the driver who puts them in the luggage compartment of the bus. The bus sets off and while en route one of the men (slim and only 1.78m in height) breaks out of the larger suitcase (measuring 90x 50 cms) and into several of the other passengers' cases. He takes out any valuable things ( jewellry, high-tech devices etc), puts them in the empty case and gets back in 'his' travelling case. At the bus terminus the other man collects both cases and goes to the bathroom.They both then leave carrying a case each. They were only found out when the 'carrier' left the case with his co-worker behind in the bus. Why he did this this is not mentioned. Amnesia? Panic? A quarrel? Police hanging around the bus station? It's also not clear how the man in the luggage hold locked or even just closed his own case again. But it's a good story just as the tourist season is kicking off here.
The police were impressed at their ingenuity and issue a seasonal warning to all bus and air passengers not to leave take their eyes off their luggage for a moment especially at check in for planes and hotels. The men seemed to be true professionals having special tools for opening zips and locks and a torch. Welcome to the summer silly season once again.
.
The police were impressed at their ingenuity and issue a seasonal warning to all bus and air passengers not to leave take their eyes off their luggage for a moment especially at check in for planes and hotels. The men seemed to be true professionals having special tools for opening zips and locks and a torch. Welcome to the summer silly season once again.
.
Sunday, 29 May 2011
When is nude not nude: new law in Barcelona against nudism
Today the new Barcelona anti-nude law comes into effect even as the coastal and political temperatures start to rise and the tourist buses start to fill. But spare a thought for the poor old Mossos - or maybe it's the Guardia Urbana? In addition to nursemaiding the ad-hoc encamment in Plaza Cataluña, controlling the Barca celebration route, deciding whether criminals are robbers, residents,immigrants or begging musicians, police will now have to decide the difference between 'nude', 'almost nude', 'semi- nude' -and 'clothed' - in order to levy the appropriate fine (from 120 up to 500 euros), (a fine incidently higher than going through the lights on red). Apparently recruitment for May - including part-time positions - was at an all-time high though there are as yet no official figures available. Some residents groups in the old part of the city have accused the Town Hall of a massive cover-up and a mis-use of statistics trying to show they were on top of crime when they weren't, especially those committed by young tourists.
Under this new law police will be obliged to give a warning to offenders and to examine their credentials carefully before fining them. Presumeably if offenders have no money on them, on-the-spot fines will be difficult to enforce so perhaps they will be allowed to pay later. Clearly definitions of what is/is not nude are a bit hazy at the best of times which will call for more police head-scratching before the long arm of the law risks an arrest in flagrante. Given the Arctic quality of the air-conditioning at the police station on Nou de la Rambla, most offenders would be wise to pay on the spot though.
One wonders, given the immense task confronting the police whether residents could lend a hand as it were using the powers of citizens' arrest. Another unresolved factor is whether increasingly popular tattoos could de-nude/ or re-clothe a person. Surely a full frontal tattoo is not essentially different than a highly decorated T shirt - though below-hip tattoos might be less obfuscating. And what will happen when a tourist brings an action against a police officer for molesting him/her while assessing the degree of nudity.
Feelings about the matter are somewhat luke-warm politically speaking with support far from 100%. The law was PSC and CiU approved but the PP abstained and other parties labelled it unnecessary stating they be even shooting themselves in the foot if the law puts off tourists from coming here. In addition to complicate matters even further the law states a person can be half-nude (which half is not clear) on the Passeig Maritim, on the Dune nudist beach and on streets near the beach. There's also the art for art's sake thing too and you can be exempt if you are part of a nude exhibition - but presumeable not making an exhibition of yourself by being nude.
The whole thing is totally absurd. An example of a law rushed through to satisfy a group of sanctimonious old crones - as the comments section in la Vanguardia shows. The way their government is handling Spain's financial crisis no one will have any money to buy clothes anymore so we'll all soon be naked - or covered in tattoos
Under this new law police will be obliged to give a warning to offenders and to examine their credentials carefully before fining them. Presumeably if offenders have no money on them, on-the-spot fines will be difficult to enforce so perhaps they will be allowed to pay later. Clearly definitions of what is/is not nude are a bit hazy at the best of times which will call for more police head-scratching before the long arm of the law risks an arrest in flagrante. Given the Arctic quality of the air-conditioning at the police station on Nou de la Rambla, most offenders would be wise to pay on the spot though.
One wonders, given the immense task confronting the police whether residents could lend a hand as it were using the powers of citizens' arrest. Another unresolved factor is whether increasingly popular tattoos could de-nude/ or re-clothe a person. Surely a full frontal tattoo is not essentially different than a highly decorated T shirt - though below-hip tattoos might be less obfuscating. And what will happen when a tourist brings an action against a police officer for molesting him/her while assessing the degree of nudity.
Feelings about the matter are somewhat luke-warm politically speaking with support far from 100%. The law was PSC and CiU approved but the PP abstained and other parties labelled it unnecessary stating they be even shooting themselves in the foot if the law puts off tourists from coming here. In addition to complicate matters even further the law states a person can be half-nude (which half is not clear) on the Passeig Maritim, on the Dune nudist beach and on streets near the beach. There's also the art for art's sake thing too and you can be exempt if you are part of a nude exhibition - but presumeable not making an exhibition of yourself by being nude.
The whole thing is totally absurd. An example of a law rushed through to satisfy a group of sanctimonious old crones - as the comments section in la Vanguardia shows. The way their government is handling Spain's financial crisis no one will have any money to buy clothes anymore so we'll all soon be naked - or covered in tattoos
Thursday, 5 May 2011
La Sagrada Familia: saturated tourism
The trouble with being famous is that everyone wants to look at you close up, wrinkles and all. And this applies to buildings too apparently. The week after Easter, residents who live close to the SF,or Sagrada Familia, have signalled they've finally had enough of tourists gawping at Barcelona's No1 attraction. They complain about the sheer number (9,000 a day) who visit the cathedral and about the buses which park nearby and choke the roads (ca 150 a day). Perhaps they're right, as each time I've been in the area the pavements were jam-packed, making it hell getting around and doing your normal business. But for them it's seven days a week!
With local elections coming up this month (May), free newspaper Que asked political parties what their policy would be to solve this saturation problem at one of Barcelona's most emblematic sights. Solutions offered were: make the area cleaner and safer and build an underground parking area for buses (PSC); make sure there is less crime, ration and schedule coaches and give residents a platform to put their complaints to officially (CIU); build a local police office, assist new ventures in terms of local shops and make better parking for buses (PP); phase and deconcentrate tourism and have more police around the area.(ERC)
It's clear tourism in the area has increased enormously in the last few years. When I first came to Barcelona and was looking for a place to live, I noticed plenty of what you would call 'local' type shops like bakers and greengrocers in the SF area. But now many local businesses have gone to be replaced by the tat sellers of sombreros, replicas and Barca shirts such as you find in las Ramblas area. In fact the whole city (a few areas excepted) is suffering from tourist shop blight or just tourist blight period - because that's where the money is made. I mean let's face it, Barcelona would not only be too quiet without tourists (nice thought though!) but also broke.
One problem is that you just can't limit access or fence off areas of the city in the long term. Many tourists travet to the SF on metros which we all use You could limit the buses though by requiring them to book ahead and reserve space. And youn could make the tourists queue to see the SF inside the precinct of the cathedral and not swamp the pavements in front of residents' houses. By the noise the residents make you'd think this was just a Barcelona problem. but it's not. It's one that many tourist-popular cities have to face in the summer whether it's Nice or Nantes, Paris or Palermo, Marseille or Madrid - and most do not have a permanent solution.
Another problem is the residents' attitude. No one has forced them to live where they do. They chose to buy/rent a flat in this heavily congested area. Some people live in St Cugat because it's spacious and doesn't get swamped by tourists but the downside is it's 30 mins commute into the city. Residents out there don't complain about that though. These SF residents are the same ones who opposed the new Ave line in their area and the same people who profited from the recent Pope's visit by renting out their balconies for vast sums to give people a good view. They love belly-aching to the newspapers and TV. Why don't they just vote for a party which represents what they want and we'll be done with it. " No visitors to the Sagrada Familia·! There, would they be happy with that slogan?
With local elections coming up this month (May), free newspaper Que asked political parties what their policy would be to solve this saturation problem at one of Barcelona's most emblematic sights. Solutions offered were: make the area cleaner and safer and build an underground parking area for buses (PSC); make sure there is less crime, ration and schedule coaches and give residents a platform to put their complaints to officially (CIU); build a local police office, assist new ventures in terms of local shops and make better parking for buses (PP); phase and deconcentrate tourism and have more police around the area.(ERC)
It's clear tourism in the area has increased enormously in the last few years. When I first came to Barcelona and was looking for a place to live, I noticed plenty of what you would call 'local' type shops like bakers and greengrocers in the SF area. But now many local businesses have gone to be replaced by the tat sellers of sombreros, replicas and Barca shirts such as you find in las Ramblas area. In fact the whole city (a few areas excepted) is suffering from tourist shop blight or just tourist blight period - because that's where the money is made. I mean let's face it, Barcelona would not only be too quiet without tourists (nice thought though!) but also broke.
One problem is that you just can't limit access or fence off areas of the city in the long term. Many tourists travet to the SF on metros which we all use You could limit the buses though by requiring them to book ahead and reserve space. And youn could make the tourists queue to see the SF inside the precinct of the cathedral and not swamp the pavements in front of residents' houses. By the noise the residents make you'd think this was just a Barcelona problem. but it's not. It's one that many tourist-popular cities have to face in the summer whether it's Nice or Nantes, Paris or Palermo, Marseille or Madrid - and most do not have a permanent solution.
Another problem is the residents' attitude. No one has forced them to live where they do. They chose to buy/rent a flat in this heavily congested area. Some people live in St Cugat because it's spacious and doesn't get swamped by tourists but the downside is it's 30 mins commute into the city. Residents out there don't complain about that though. These SF residents are the same ones who opposed the new Ave line in their area and the same people who profited from the recent Pope's visit by renting out their balconies for vast sums to give people a good view. They love belly-aching to the newspapers and TV. Why don't they just vote for a party which represents what they want and we'll be done with it. " No visitors to the Sagrada Familia·! There, would they be happy with that slogan?
Friday, 8 April 2011
Some problems like unwelcome guests never go away. They lie just lie dormant and at certain times of the year erupt spill their lava of irritation over everyone. Take the phenomenon of "Top Manta" which peaks from Easter onwards to October as far as Barcelona is concerned. Not that fleecing the tourist is a singularly Barcelona problem. I've been offered homemade jewellery halfway up a steep mountain slab in Marrocco's Atlas mountains and, like thousands of others, been pestered aggressively to buy anything from silk shirts to extensive 'massage' on the beaches of Goa, Bali and Phuket.
According to Friday's El Pais, residents of the Parc Guell area (which draws thousands of tourists to see Gaudi's crazy ceramic creations in the wild) enough is enough is enough. They're fed up of complaining about the park being overun - literally - by these itinerant sellers of trash who dash off at the faintest whiff of a police uniform. Locals feel that they cannot enjoy their park anymore and that the Town Hall has done little to alleviate things in finding a solution.
The gardeners complain too when they are planting out trees and plants. When the manteros scarper they take an as-the-crow-flies route, which usually means tramping across the newly planted or weeded gardens. When they return a few minutes - after the police have gone of course - they take the same route.Work of the devil the gardeners call it! Of Sysiphus more like.
Even the most consumer-minded tourist doesn't want to have to toil up a bloody great hill only to see Gaudi's masterful dragons draped with fake Calvin Kline sunglasses and Gucci handbags? It's hardly what they came to Barcelona for so what's the solution if no one wants the manteros there?.
Well it was not so long ago rumoured that the Town Hall were going to charge people to enter the park but the cost of closing up entrances and fitting extra security fencing was deemed 'probibitive in a time of financial crisis'. Plus the local residents didn't want to have to pay to go in a park which they feel belongs to Barcelona residents, so no pleasing them either.
No obvious 100% effective solution comes to mind but clearly several things need to be done, though I doubt the 'Top Manta syndrome' will ever be eradicated. In Naples I saw the highly organsied Mafia collectors coming round to collect rent from the pavement sellers at the end of the day, and on a beach in Tunisia I remember one seller asking me if I had 'seen a Fiat' - he thought I was German and the police patrolled on horseback (on a 'Pferd' !) There's no doubt the problem really is world-wide.
At the least, the police need to be more determined and go for the suppliers too. All the stuff sold is fake and therefore illegal. The sellers are only trying to scratch a living. Despite what they have said, residents of the area could pay annual sum, a token, to use the park. Tourist vistors will have to be charged an entrance fee like they do for all the Gaudi sites, despite what the Town Hall says about the cost of setting this up. This would both limit the numbers using the park and keep the salesme out. If not, soon there soon won't be any Gaudi ceramis visible.They'll all be worn away.
Or maybe we should just ban all tourism in Barcelona! Then the manteros would have no one to sell handbags to. Or would they ? Have you seen all those Gucci accessories in Corte Ingles? Come to think of it, not having tourists in the city would have lots of advantages for residents. I think I'll make a list.
According to Friday's El Pais, residents of the Parc Guell area (which draws thousands of tourists to see Gaudi's crazy ceramic creations in the wild) enough is enough is enough. They're fed up of complaining about the park being overun - literally - by these itinerant sellers of trash who dash off at the faintest whiff of a police uniform. Locals feel that they cannot enjoy their park anymore and that the Town Hall has done little to alleviate things in finding a solution.
The gardeners complain too when they are planting out trees and plants. When the manteros scarper they take an as-the-crow-flies route, which usually means tramping across the newly planted or weeded gardens. When they return a few minutes - after the police have gone of course - they take the same route.Work of the devil the gardeners call it! Of Sysiphus more like.
Even the most consumer-minded tourist doesn't want to have to toil up a bloody great hill only to see Gaudi's masterful dragons draped with fake Calvin Kline sunglasses and Gucci handbags? It's hardly what they came to Barcelona for so what's the solution if no one wants the manteros there?.
Well it was not so long ago rumoured that the Town Hall were going to charge people to enter the park but the cost of closing up entrances and fitting extra security fencing was deemed 'probibitive in a time of financial crisis'. Plus the local residents didn't want to have to pay to go in a park which they feel belongs to Barcelona residents, so no pleasing them either.
No obvious 100% effective solution comes to mind but clearly several things need to be done, though I doubt the 'Top Manta syndrome' will ever be eradicated. In Naples I saw the highly organsied Mafia collectors coming round to collect rent from the pavement sellers at the end of the day, and on a beach in Tunisia I remember one seller asking me if I had 'seen a Fiat' - he thought I was German and the police patrolled on horseback (on a 'Pferd' !) There's no doubt the problem really is world-wide.
At the least, the police need to be more determined and go for the suppliers too. All the stuff sold is fake and therefore illegal. The sellers are only trying to scratch a living. Despite what they have said, residents of the area could pay annual sum, a token, to use the park. Tourist vistors will have to be charged an entrance fee like they do for all the Gaudi sites, despite what the Town Hall says about the cost of setting this up. This would both limit the numbers using the park and keep the salesme out. If not, soon there soon won't be any Gaudi ceramis visible.They'll all be worn away.
Or maybe we should just ban all tourism in Barcelona! Then the manteros would have no one to sell handbags to. Or would they ? Have you seen all those Gucci accessories in Corte Ingles? Come to think of it, not having tourists in the city would have lots of advantages for residents. I think I'll make a list.
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
The last last train to Sabadell?
In fact travelling on a last train to anywhere seems dangerous around BCN these days (or more precisely these nights). So much so that railway company RENFE has decided to up its security after a guard was killed in Casteldefels stopping some youths leaping over the station exit gates after a fun night out.
Young men (?) who go out for the night (especially at weekends) clearly would rather spend their money on alcohol and drugs than RENFE and FGC tickets. Fair enough. They are on the expensive side. Plus at the end of the night there's always the chance of fun with the train driver or a security guard. You can even have a game of football with his head like they did in Casteldefels. In fact last year there were 242 reported attacks on RENFE staff and 132 on the BCN Metro which runs all night at the weekend.
To prevent more such incidents RENFE are going to cordinate with the Mossos and create a Transport Force to cover trains and late-night buses. They will install more cameras on stations and in trains and close some blackspot stations early. The hotlines (?) seem to be the R1, the R3 and the R4 which serve out-of-town cowboy areas such as Mataro and Sabadell.
Union officials, however, are sceptical of the measures which fall far short of what they want in terms of numbers. Perhaps increasing the number of dog-handlers might help. There's nothing better than an enormous Alsatian sniffing round your nether regions to keep you passive and responsive. All the way home!
Young men (?) who go out for the night (especially at weekends) clearly would rather spend their money on alcohol and drugs than RENFE and FGC tickets. Fair enough. They are on the expensive side. Plus at the end of the night there's always the chance of fun with the train driver or a security guard. You can even have a game of football with his head like they did in Casteldefels. In fact last year there were 242 reported attacks on RENFE staff and 132 on the BCN Metro which runs all night at the weekend.
To prevent more such incidents RENFE are going to cordinate with the Mossos and create a Transport Force to cover trains and late-night buses. They will install more cameras on stations and in trains and close some blackspot stations early. The hotlines (?) seem to be the R1, the R3 and the R4 which serve out-of-town cowboy areas such as Mataro and Sabadell.
Union officials, however, are sceptical of the measures which fall far short of what they want in terms of numbers. Perhaps increasing the number of dog-handlers might help. There's nothing better than an enormous Alsatian sniffing round your nether regions to keep you passive and responsive. All the way home!
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