The Palau Olímpic experiences the quietest match in its history

BadalonaDespite protests called by pro-Palestinian groups, Joventut Badalona and Israel's Hapoel Holon played their Basketball Champions League match without incident on the fifth matchday. The protest was organized by the platform. Badalona against genocide The protest drew around 150 demonstrators to the gates of the Palau Olímpic, which hosted the strangest match in its history. No fans were allowed to attend the game, which was played behind closed doors. The commentary of Víctor Lavagnini (3Cat) and Xavi Ballesteros (Radio Ciutat de Badalona) was the only sound to break the silence.

"There are more police than protesters," explained a resident of Badalona, annoyed that she couldn't reach the Magic shopping center via her usual route. Three hours before the protests were scheduled to begin, the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) established a police perimeter around the Olympic Palace. In some strategic areas, the checkpoint was positioned more than two kilometers away to facilitate the journey of both teams, who were able to access the green-and-black arena without incident. The police perimeter consisted of approximately fifty police vans, two helicopters, and members of the ARRO, BRIMO, Canine, Subsurface, TEDAX, Drone, GOAP units, a mediation team, and Public Safety officers.

"The police deployment is excessive. There are dozens of police vans and a helicopter outside the Olympic Pavilion," criticized Aïda Llauradó, president of the Badalona en Comú municipal group. Xavier García Albiol, mayor of Badalona, ​​accused her of being irresponsible and inciting potential riots.

The first team to arrive was Hapoel Holon, in a coach escorted by four Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) vans, in a convoy that began at the Badalona Tower Hotel. Next to enter the arena were the referees: Hungarian Peter Praksch, Serbian Petar Pesic, and Lithuanian Juozas Barkauskas. Shortly after, Joventut arrived, who, unlike in other matches where the players arrive in their own cars, came in armored vans from the Marina Hotel, the complex where they were staying.