The CSIF union has reported that only two officers from the Local Police of Seville were available to intervene in a fight that occurred on Thursday on Calle Betis, during the Velá de Santa Ana. Reinforcements had to come from the San Pablo neighbourhood.
The Independent and Civil Servants Union (CSIF) has highlighted the shortage of police personnel during the Velá de Santa Ana following a fight reported on the night of Thursday, July 23, on Calle Betis, one of the busiest areas during the Triana festivities. According to the union, at the time of the altercation, there were only two officers from the Local Police of Seville to manage the situation.
The events took place around 10:00 PM, during the third day of the Velá. Calle Betis and its surroundings attract numerous locals and visitors during these days, drawn by the booths set up along the river, the scheduled activities, and the hospitality offerings in the area. It was in this context that a fight broke out which, according to the union's complaint, overwhelmed the capacity of the only two police officers present at the scene.
Faced with the inability to control the situation, the officers requested reinforcements. The police vehicle that came to their aid had to travel from the San Pablo neighbourhood, located several kilometres from Triana. The union criticises that, during a large celebration like the Velá, the security deployment did not have more officers in the vicinity to respond quickly to incidents of this nature.
CSIF frames the incident within its repeated warnings about the lack of personnel in the Local Police of Seville. The union has long been denouncing that the workforce is insufficient to reliably cover large events and the day-to-day needs of the city. The fight on Calle Betis, they emphasise, is an example of how the lack of personnel can compromise safety.
So far, no further details about the fight have emerged: the number of people involved, the causes that led to it, whether there were any injuries, or if any arrests were made remain unknown. CSIF's complaint focuses exclusively on the lack of human resources to address the incident, without delving into other aspects of the event.
The Velá de Santa Ana, which runs until Sunday, July 26, is one of the most emblematic festivals in Seville, attracting large crowds every night. The Seville City Council, through the Major Festivals Area and the Triana District, organises the security and cleaning arrangements, but CSIF insists that the number of police officers assigned is insufficient to ensure safety at all points of the fairground and its surroundings.
The union has requested the City Council to reinforce the Local Police staff, especially during large events, and to review the operational protocols so that reinforcements can arrive more quickly from nearby areas. Meanwhile, the Velá continues its programming with concerts, children's activities, and booths, and safety remains a concern for both residents and the officers themselves.
This incident adds to other similar complaints from CSIF regarding the lack of personnel in the Local Police of Seville. The union has repeatedly warned that the workforce, which is around 1,100 officers, is well below what is recommended for a city of Seville's size and activity. The situation worsens during the summer when holidays further reduce the number of available police officers.
For now, the City Council has not officially commented on CSIF's complaint. The Council refers to the usual deployment for the Velá, which includes a reinforcement of the Local Police and collaboration from the National Police in the most crowded areas. However, the union believes that these measures are insufficient and that the safety of attendees at the Velá is at risk if the number of officers on the ground is not increased.
Calle Betis, the scene of the fight, is one of the busiest streets during the Velá. Its narrowness and the accumulation of people make it a critical point for safety. Residents of Triana have expressed their concerns about what happened on social media and are calling on the City Council to take measures to prevent similar situations from occurring again.
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