Ahead of this weekend’s Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, hundreds of protesters attempted to disrupt the F1 roadshow in Barcelona on Wednesday afternoon.
Tens of thousands of fans lined Passeig de Gràcia, one of Barcelona’s most famous thoroughfares, hoping to catch a glimpse of drivers including Carlos Sainz and Jack Doohan milling up and down the street as part of a promotional drive for Sunday’s much-anticipated grand prix.
Read more: Spanish F1 controversy: Environmentalists slam plan to parade sports cars through Barcelona streets ahead of June’s Grand Prix
Carlos Sainz delighted tens of thousands of fans by driving down Passeig de Gràcia and even doing donuts in the street. Photo credit: Cordon Press
The busy boulevard, normally lined with designer shops and Antonio Guadi-designed buildings such as Casa Batlló, was transformed into a vortex of noise as the thunderous rumble of the V6 hybrid engine echoed through the city centre.
Some people climbed trees, road signs and adjacent buildings to get a view of the car.
Fans climbed the building to catch a glimpse of the game. Credit: Olive Press/Ben Pawlowski
But hundreds of protesters from anti-tourism, environmental and left-wing groups gathered in nearby streets to rail against the roadshow.
Protesters chanted “Barcelona is not for sale” and carried signs reading “Tourists go home” and “F1 gets out” and waved flags of the Communist party and the far-left separatist CUP party, which won seats in Catalan regional elections last month.
Hundreds of protesters gathered to criticize the roadshow. Credit: Olive Press/Ben Pawlowski
Several members of the protest took to a makeshift stage to address the crowd, who began whistling and heckling as the roar of F1 engines could be heard in the distance.
The protesters included members of Eixample Respira, an activist group campaigning for improved air quality in Barcelona’s Eixample district.
The group was greeted by dozens of masked and armed police officers. Credit: Olive Press/Ben Pawlowski
Ahead of the event, the group said: “We are suffering a public health crisis from poor air quality and noise pollution and it is absurd to hold an F1 exhibition in a city centre where thousands of people live, many of whom are particularly vulnerable to the effects of pollution.”
“We say no to an urban model based on mega-events that privatizes public spaces and uses public funds to benefit the big tourist lobby groups,” Eixample Respira spokesman Jorge Elgstrom told reporters.
Protesters held up a banner reading “Barcelona is not for sale.” Copyright: Olive Press/Ben Pawlowski
One protester, who gave his name as Alex, told the Olive Press that he was outraged by the “massification of tourism” which “forces many young people to move from the city center to the suburbs and nearby towns due to rising living and housing costs.”
The 35-year-old said: “We are not against tourism, but we are against the popularisation of tourism which we think has gone too far. We want to fight the idea that Barcelona is only a city for big events. The people of Barcelona have the right to live in peace in their city, just like in the UK and other cities.”
He added: “Janalilat [the local government] “We need to stop promoting the Barcelona brand and instead promote our neighbourhoods, our people and our social life. We don’t want more promotion of our city. What we need is a better quality of life, decent wages and, above all, a liveable city. We need sustainable tourism.”
The protest could not reach the main thoroughfare thanks to six police vehicles strategically parked to block the road.
Angry locals created makeshift signs, including this one. Credit: Olive Press/Ben Pawlowski
Dozens of undercover officers from the Catalan regional police force, Mossos d’Esquadra, were monitoring the protests, some armed with assault rifles.
Barcelona Mayor Jaume Corboni responded by insisting the event was “fully consistent” with “the mayor’s firm compromise to continue reducing traffic, carbon emissions and noise pollution in the city.”
The protest was entirely peaceful. Credit: Olive Press/Ben Pawlowski
Some protesters held signs reading “No to America’s Cup,” a reference to the world’s premier sailing competition that takes place off the coast of Barcelona this summer.
Earlier this week, Corboni announced that Barcelona will host the 2026 Tour de France Grand Depart, making the Catalan capital the third Spanish city to host the event.
