Taxi drivers block Barcelona city center in new protest against Uber and Cabify

The taxi sector in Catalonia once again took to the streets on Monday in its ongoing battle against Uber and Cabify.

At 10 am, around 1,500 taxis, according to organizers, gathered at Gran Via near Tetuan Square, blocking the three central lanes of the avenue.

The protest stretched all the way to Passeig de Gràcia, which was also closed from Plaça Catalunya.

The demonstration was called off at midday, although the strike continued until 4 pm, with an attendance of around 80% across Catalonia, organizers said.

The taxi sector aimed to pressure the Catalan government not to modify the proposed taxi law, which is still pending approval in parliament.

The draft legislation would impose strict limits on the number of licenses available for ride-hailing vehicles (VTCs).

If approved in its current form, the law would nearly eliminate services such as Uber and Cabify, reducing VTC licenses from 900 to around 300, while maintaining more than 10,000 taxi licenses.

After pressure from the VTC lobby to reduce the scope of the law, taxi drivers organized the protest to demand that the law remain as originally drafted and to speed up its approval.

"We will not stop until the law that we have agreed upon with most political parties is approved," said Tito Álvarez, spokesperson of the Élite Taxi union.

Álvarez warned that drivers could launch an indefinite strike if the law's approval is delayed or if its provisions are weakened.

The union leader also announced that the union has filed a complaint with the Catalan Competition Authority (ACCO) against Uber and other VTC companies for "acting like a cartel."

The protest included taxi drivers from across Catalonia, who came to support their Barcelona colleagues and denounce the increasing presence of VTCs outside the capital.

"We've stopped service and are only providing medical emergency rides," explained Albert, president of Radio Taxi Sabadell.

"We've come to support Barcelona because we're at the final stages before the taxi law is passed, and we're here to put a bit of pressure," he said.

Albert highlighted that while the VTC presence in Sabadell is smaller than in Barcelona, its effects are already being felt.

"The way ride-hailing vehicles operate shows no respect at all. They change license plates, solicit passengers on the street, which they aren’t allowed to do, they should return to the base," he said.

Mohammed and Joan, two taxi drivers from Figueres in the Girona region, joined the protest with 15 colleagues.

"When I was 21, I bought a taxi for €120,000. Now these people come along and don’t pay anything apart from the car, and their companies don’t pay taxes here in Spain," Joan explained.

The young driver emphasized that taxis "will always be regulated," citing the 2017 terrorist attacks in Barcelona as an example.

"Taxi drivers took people for free. Meanwhile, Uber and the other platforms tripled their prices, and for a €10 ride they were charging maybe €80," he said.

"We will always be regulated. We have a set fare and it will always be regulated. People call us thieves, but we switch on the meter and charge whatever it shows, that's all, " he said.

For the first time, the strike was not limited to Barcelona and its metropolitan area, it included taxi drivers from all over Catalonia.

"The response has been incredible," said Oscar, a veteran driver from Barcelona. "There is a wild, billionaire-backed form of capitalism looming on the horizon. It wants to roll over everything, push us out of here, and take our place. We will not allow it."

Responding to the protest, Catalan Minister of Territory and Mobility, Sílvia Paneque, said the government intends to approve the new taxi law "as soon as possible."

"The effects of this law will already be seen in the first half of 2026," she added, while reminding taxi drivers that the parliamentary process and its timing are not entirely under the government’s control.

'Barcelona is kidnapped by a minority'

The ride-hailing association Unauto criticized the protest, claiming that Barcelona was being “kidnapped by a minority" of taxi drivers.

In a statement, its president, José Manuel Berzal, said Catalan president Salvador Illa "needs to demonstrate that power lies with the institutions, not with those who want to paralyze the city."

Unauto has demanded that the government halt the new regulation, warning that it could have a €72 million impact on the sector.

Meanwhile, Uber announced that it will pay €1,500 to finance the insurance of each taxi driver who joins the platform until March 31.

According to the company, around 2,000 taxi drivers in Barcelona work with Uber, generating double the income of traditional taxi drivers and earning over €10,000 per month.

Last week, Uber filed a complaint with the Catalan Competition Authority (ACCO) against Élite Taxi and its spokesperson, alleging that they attempted to "boycott" Uber services during the strike.

In a statement, the company criticized Élite Taxi for preventing drivers from using the platform, which it says violates competition law.