Barcelona boosts street cameras to tackle soaring crime rates

The Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia reported that Barcelona plans to increase the number of cameras on its streets to combat crime.

Currently, the Catalan capital operates merely 160 surveillance cameras, a small number compared to other European cities of a similar size. For instance, the French city of Nice has approximately 3,000 cameras monitoring its streets.

The new cameras are primarily intended for the city's dark, narrow streets, where crimes frequently occur. Plans are also underway to increase the number of cameras in the city centre, which attracts large crowds throughout the year, not only during the holiday season. These crowds are mainly tourists.

Although the exact number of additional cameras has yet to be decided, city authorities are emphasising the need to enhance public safety by rapidly expanding the surveillance system.

The first public surveillance camera was installed in Barcelona in 2001 at George Orwell Square, igniting a debate about privacy protection.

We have repeatedly reported incidents where dangerous events have occurred on the streets of Barcelona. Petty thefts happen almost daily; sadly, more serious incidents also occur.

Less than three weeks ago, a video surfaced online recording an aggressive man in the act. He approached a pair of tourists with a young child in a pushchair and began shouting aggressively at the parents. The man then struck the one-year-old girl in the face with considerable force before her father could react in any way.

The recorded situation was not the only act of aggression by this man. Another victim was a 60-year-old man who was attacked without provocation. He suffered numerous facial injuries and severe bruising.