BARCELONA (Reuters) beaches were packed across Catalonia on Saturday as the beautiful spring weather attracted sun seekers, despite warnings from the government to violate COVID-19 restrictions.
In Barcelona, Tarragona and other popular cities along the coast of the northeastern Spanish region, crowds gathered on the beaches, some of whom did not wear masks, or took social distances.
On a popular beach near central Barcelona, dozens of partygoers danced on Friday, according to some legal regulations to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, police said on Saturday.
The makeshift party took place on Barceloneta Beach and police said they had advised revealers that they were violating health regulations.
‘Barcelona is the perfect place to party, to have a drink, but it’s a big problem – the police – they stop people from entertaining themselves’,’ a British entertainer who only gave his first name Liam (32) and wore a mask told Reuters.
Elsewhere, police raided a bar in Sant Feliu de Llobregat, near Barcelona, on Friday, fining 33 people for violating COVID-19 restrictions, according to Mossos d’Escuadra, the Catalan regional police. tweeted.
Meetings of more than six people in public areas are banned in Catalonia and offenders could face fines of 300 to 600 euros ($ 350 to $ 700), police said.
“Our officers advise people where there are large groups of people that they are committing offenses and sometimes they can be fined if they do not put on masks or pull away,” a Catalan regional police spokesman said. He did not say whether anyone had been fined for the Barceloneta party.
Catalan Home Affairs Minister Miquel Samper told RAC1 radio on Saturday that people should wear masks when mixing with others on the beach, but not when bathing or swimming in the sea – guidelines that differ from the national legislation.
Catalonia is one of several Spanish regions that defy a law enacted on Wednesday that people outside must wear masks, regardless of whether the safety distance of 1.5 meters is adhered to.
The Spanish government said after the growing criticism that the mask law would be revised, but did not say when any revision would take place.
($ 1 = 0.8502 euros)
Report by Graham Keeley Edited by David Holmes