2,000 in controversial Christmas charity motorbike parade in Barcelona

Some 2,000 people took part in the Papanoelada Motera in Barcelona on Sunday evening, an event that gathers motorbikes with Christmas motives and riders dressed up as Santa. It is part of a Spanish-wide movement that aims to be a charitable event.

Like every year, they all paraded across the Catalan capital starting at 5pm in Montjuïc mountain.

And, like every year, the event was marred with controversy. The local authorities are always reluctant to such show, and also some weeks ago the city ombudsman called on the city council to stop it, on the grounds that the activity has a major environmental and mobility impact, posing risks to public health and public safety.

The route this year consisted of going downhill Barcelona's 'magic mountain', reaching Plaça Espanya square and driving on Gran Via all the way to the city center. Then, the plan included parading on the lower part of Passeig de Gràcia and Plaça Catalunya iconic sites, and then going down Via Laietana, crossing Barceloneta neighborhood and ending in the port by W Hotel.

During the parade, some residents and tourists watched the show and some took pictures of the event, especially in the busiest streets. Meanwhile, the local police tried to handle the situation so that the impact on road traffic was lower than the previous years. Last year, the Papanoelada Motera was the reason for 173 fines for infractions such as revving engines or riding in the bus lane.