Daniel Bernalte, secretary of SIP-Fepol, expressed his concern in an interview on the program Bon dia, Barcelona, stating that the shootings recorded in the city are not isolated incidents. According to his analysis, these events are a visible manifestation of a phenomenon associated with criminal gangs primarily involved in marijuana trafficking.
Bernalte attributes this growth in organized crime to a combination of factors. Among them, he highlights an institutional response he considers insufficient, penalties that are not deterrent enough, and a perception of impunity among offenders. This situation, according to the union, is turning Barcelona into a "criminal comfort zone" for certain groups.
To reverse this trend, SIP-Fepol calls for greater coordination between different police forces, increased police pressure in areas deemed most problematic, and a faster, more forceful judicial response. Bernalte warns of the risk of normalizing shootings, a phenomenon previously seen with knife attacks.
The union's spokesperson regrets that Catalonia has become a strategic area for the production and distribution of marijuana, which is leading to an escalation of violence and the increasing use of firearms in disputes between criminal organizations.
