newcastle united The fans have been accused of causing "significant disruption" in Barcelona, leading to sweeping changes to how such crowds are dealt with in the future.
El Periodico reports that Barcelona is studying a plan To control 'goons' as local residents complain about the impact it has on their lives.
New crowd control plans
Barcelona City Council yesterday approved the development of a plan to ensure safety and 'harmonious coexistence' in public spaces, as well as minimize the harm caused by the arrival of large groups of 'fanatic fans' to sporting events.
The focus is particularly on Barcelona and their European games at the Camp Nou. The new proposal presented by Barcelona en Comú aims to create a 'preventive protocol' for such occasions.
"Barcelona has sporting events that put pressure on the city, and often, the city has to bear the brunt of the consequences," *Communes* observed party councilman Jordi Rabasa.
Newcastle United in the firing line
Newcastle United travel to Barcelona on the 18thth The march has been presented as a prime example of why change is necessary.
10,000 Newcastle fans arrived in the city for that game, causing unrest and disruption, which Rabassa wanted to prevent.
"Most people arrived without tickets, resulting in exceptionally high concentrations of people in the areas around Plaça Real and La Rambla," The councilman noted.
“In affected neighbourhoods, this means an inability to relax, streets and squares are overcrowded and extremely dirty, and residents have great difficulty moving around normally.
"Residents are fed up with people urinating at the entrances of their building. They can no longer tolerate the shouting and filth. This is what happens whenever an incident like this happens." Rabasa expressed his condolences.
measures against goons
He was supported by Jordi Martí. He drew attention to the persistent issues surrounding the Camp Nou. Newcastle United fans have again found themselves in the crosshairs.
"Following the serious disruption caused by Newcastle supporters, we asked how many fines had been issued under the new Citizenship Ordinance. The response we received was that they had done everything *but* enforce the ordinance," He said.
Now various plans are being made for the future. These include traffic flow measures, widening footpaths and agreements with local bars not to sell drinks in glass bottles.
There may also be a focus on businesses running 'special promotions' on match days. Rabasa then raised the topic of 'goons' and called for the need to "move towards a more preventive approach".
Overall, he wants a sense of shared responsibility between the city and the club.
common european complaints
From the outside the complaints seem a bit ridiculous.
It seems Barcelona are happy to build a 105,000-seat stadium to accommodate rival fans. They are happy with the money they bring in, but also don't want the consequences.
While it is fair that local people and councilors may be tired, they may also want to think deeply about the long-term benefits of treating every fan like a criminal, all the time.
That seems to be the tone of Rabasa and company here, and it won't work well for long.
