Police to increase anti-terrorist patrols in response to Israel-Hamas conflict
Israeli consulate and Barça's temporary home at Olympic Stadium among sites receiving increased security
Catalan police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, will increase the time allocated to their anti-terrorist operational plan, known as POE-A, to reinforce highly sensitive areas and carry out more proactive patrols.
Officers will perform more identity checks, both on vehicles and people, in response to the impact of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
"Until now, at places of interest to the police, units had a more reactive purpose, but more prevention and detection is needed," said chief commissioner Eduard Sallent.
The move to increase hours and act more proactively was agreed at the extraordinary anti-terrorism cabinet held on Friday at the Mossos' central complex in Sabadell, where police also undertook to strengthen the sharing of information with other security forces, both public and private.
80,000 extra hours
The Mossos have an annual fund of 160,000 paid hours in addition to ordinary work, to cover special events, Sallent explained. Now the forecast is to increase this by 80,000 hours.
"This effort needs to be rethought", Sallent said, explaining that since October 7, the force has quadrupled patrol hours to protect sensitive areas of interest to the Israeli community.
Among the places where police are stepping up security measures are the consulate of Israel and Lluís Companys Olympic stadium, FC Barcelona's temporary home.
Finance request
The anti-terrorism cabinet has agreed to make a formal request to the government to finance this increase in paid hours.
Both Sallent and interior minister Joan Ignasi Elena called on citizens to be "responsible" when sharing information about the risk of a terrorist attack in Catalonia.
Elena emphasized that the risk level remains at 4 out of 5 because there are no indications that it should be increased, and asked the public to trust the Mossos' anti-terrorism "expertise."
"The war is generating a lot of misinformation, but this can only be resolved by following official messages," Elena said.