2LT International News

As Covid restrictions ease, Spanish students gather for illegal partie

Sep 23, 2021

MADRID, Spain: Some 25,000 students took part in the largest illegal drinking party in Madrid since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was held at Complutense University in Madrid on Friday.

A video showed thousands of party-goers not wearing masks or maintaining social distancing.

Due to the numbers involved in the party, Madrid’s Municipal Police said they were unable to clear the drinkers until 7 am on Saturday. “It is the biggest botellon we have seen since the start of the pandemic,” a police spokesperson told Reuters.

Madrid’s regional government will relax restrictions beginning Monday, including extending the closing time for bars and clubs from 2 am to 6 am, but masks must still be worn indoors and people should maintain a distance of 1.5 meters if full social distancing is not possible.

However, mass drinking parties are still illegal and punishable with fines of $700 for adults and $585 for minors, while organizers can be fined up to $700,000.

Authorities confirmed other mass drinking parties also took place on Friday evening in Barcelona and the northern city of Logroo.