At 8 a.m. Friday, Barcelona’s Guardia Urbana, supported by Mossos d’Esquadra, began a major operation to dismantle one of the city’s largest homeless encampments in Montjuïc. The operation targeted the visible cluster of tents along Josep Carner street and the Miramar road, near the Litoral ring road and the fire station. Several dozen people, many facing severe health problems and social exclusion, had been living in makeshift shelters at the site.
The city council justified the action by citing ongoing safety and sanitation problems, alongside concerns over public order. Municipal sources said most of those removed from the camp were extremely vulnerable, often facing mental health issues or addiction. The Barcelona Public Health Agency also took part, with social services and cleaning teams addressing immediate needs and environmental concerns. In a separately reported clearance in Vila Olímpica on 23 September 2026, municipal sources cited safety and sanitation concerns, as well as issues with coexistence.
The city has not specified how many people were affected, but organizations working with the homeless estimate that around 50 individuals were forced to leave. Typically, up to 70 people sleep in the area, though many had already left after receiving warnings about the impending clearance. Montjuïc is home to several informal settlements, and city records counted more than 200 people sleeping outdoors on the mountain in May.
Citywide figures show the scale of rough sleeping beyond Montjuïc: Barcelona data for December recorded 2,166 people sleeping rough, including 165 women. A separate regional estimate published by the Government of Catalonia in October 2026 put the number of people sleeping on the street across Catalonia at approximately 8,000, with more than half reportedly in Barcelona.
The municipality offered temporary accommodation at the Barcelona Emergency and Social Urgencies Centre (CUESB). Homeless people rarely accept such offers, often because they distrust institutional shelters. The city’s approach has drawn attention to chronic homelessness and the lack of long-term solutions for people living in precarious conditions.
The clearance came a day after Daniel Sirera, leader of the PP in Barcelona, publicly called for all encampments across Montjuïc to be removed. The area has become a visible refuge for people pushed to the margins. Local authorities face persistent challenges there, from homelessness and addiction to petty crime and poor hygiene. Similar social tensions and public safety concerns have been reported elsewhere in Spain, including scrutiny of playground safety and social discomfort in Madrid, as highlighted in recent coverage of urban issues in the capital.
Debate over managing public-space encampments has also surfaced elsewhere in Barcelona. During a separate housing protest at Plaça de Catalunya, deputy mayor for security Albert Batlle called an immediate eviction sought by the PP “irresponsible,” while saying municipal services were ready to restore the square’s usual uses if necessary. The council proposal to remove the protest encampment failed after the PSC and Barcelona en Comú voted against it, with ERC also opposing it; Junts abstained, while Vox supported it. That dispute concerned a housing protest, not a homeless settlement.
Barcelona’s ongoing struggle with homelessness reflects a wider trend in major Spanish cities, where rising housing costs and limited social support have left many without stable shelter. Emergency measures can address immediate risks, but the debate over encampments also points to the challenge of providing lasting support and stable housing. Montjuïc’s settlements remain a stark reminder of the social divides that persist despite municipal efforts.
