Knife Brawl and Needle Prick Scare End Escaldes-Engordany Festival Early

Police in Escaldes-Engordany suspended the town's main festival early on Friday morning following a knife-related brawl, a suspected needle prick on a young woman, and other disturbances that led to four arrests.

The incidents prompted the Unió Pro-Turisme d’Escaldes-Engordany (UPTEE) commission, with support from volunteers and private security, to halt the event around 3am, despite an original schedule extending to 4am or later. The decision came after police alerts, including from municipal traffic agents, amid a tense atmosphere.

Around 2am, officers responded to reports of a 42-year-old man who had brandished a knife with a six-centimetre blade during a clash with another group. He faced charges of offences against public safety and was accused of generating disorder around festivalgoers. During his arrest at 2:20am, he resisted strongly and insulted officers. Police confiscated the weapon.

Shortly after, at about 2:30am, authorities intervened in a nearby home where a 19-year-old woman and a 21-year-old man had mutually assaulted each other. Both were detained on suspicion of crimes against physical and moral integrity.

At 3:20am, a young woman reported that a 23-year-old man had pricked her with what she believed was a syringe containing a substance. She was taken to hospital for blood tests to detect any toxins. Officers searched the suspect but found no syringe or sharp object, and he denied the allegation. However, checks showed he had an active government expulsion order, leading to his arrest at 3:20am for an offence against public authority.

Cònsol Major Rosa Gili endorsed the early closure, condemning the incidents while noting they can occur at large festivals. She called for continued vigilance, better use of traffic cameras by officers, and potentially more police resources or authority in the coming days.

The festival, which had heightened security following recent trouble at Encamp's event, plans to resume under normal conditions. Parents had voiced online concerns about risks to young people, prompting increased monitoring.

Justice and Interior Minister Ester Molné called on local councils to review festival formats, citing late-night alcohol consumption as a factor in such issues. She advocated preventive measures, including health ministry rules to halt alcohol service before closing and tighter entry checks to prevent weapons. Results of the woman's blood tests remain pending.