Culture & Arts 2 min read 1h ago · Updated August 25, 2026 at 03:21 UTC

Sitges Festival Marred by Brawl

A mass brawl and police clashes forced the Matinal de San Bartolomé in Sitges to be suspended for several hours during the town's fiesta mayor.
Rioters burned rubbish containers and erected barricades before the disturbances were brought under control, allowing the procession to resume on a shortened route.
Sitges Town Council issued a formal condemnation of the violence, insisting the unrest would not prevent the continuation of the festival.

One of the most anticipated events in Sitges' annual calendar was brought to a standstill for several hours after a mass brawl erupted in the town centre during the Matinal de San Bartolomé, the centrepiece of the coastal municipality's fiesta mayor.

Violence in the Town Centre

Rioters engaged in confrontations with police, set fire to several rubbish containers, and erected barricades across public streets, creating what the town council described as serious public order problems and significant damage to public property. The identity of those responsible and whether any arrests were made has not been confirmed in the available information.

Festival Resumes on Shortened Route

Once the disturbances were brought under control, the Matinal was permitted to proceed, though organisers notably curtailed its traditional route. The town council issued a formal statement roundly condemning the violence. "The council wishes to make clear that the incidents and violent conduct will not stop the celebration of the Fiesta Mayor," the municipal government said. "The Matinal has gone ahead and Sitges has been able to maintain one of the most emblematic events of San Bartolomé, thanks also to the responsibility and collaboration of the participating colles."

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Council Condemns Disruption

The council's swift condemnation underlines the tension between preserving cherished civic traditions and managing public disorder at large gatherings — a challenge seen at events across Spain, as illustrated by violence that halted a match in Colombia earlier this year. The circumstances that triggered Friday's brawl in Sitges remained unresolved at the time of reporting.

##Sitges ##FiestaMayor ##PublicOrder

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