The Federal Union of Police (JUPOL), the majority union in the National Police, has denounced the escalation of homicides and knife attacks registered in recent weeks in different parts of Spain. The organization warns of a growing trend that, it maintains, requires an "immediate, firm, and decisive" legislative response.
Among the most recent events are those that occurred in Madrid, Valencia, Esplugues de Llobregat (Barcelona), Salt (Girona) and Vallecas (Madrid), where a National Police agent was injured after receiving multiple stab wounds to the cry of "I don't care about the Police, I've been to prison before". To these events are added other violent episodes protagonized this weekend by youth gangs, which reinforce, according to the union, a scenario of growing concern.
Recently, he was the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez Almeida, who was urging the Government delegate to focus on security in the face of the resurgence of attacks with bladed weapons.
An upward trend and a “normalization” of the bladed weapon
From JUPOL they warn that these are not isolated incidents, but a sustained upward trend in which bladed weapons are becoming an increasingly common element in urban violence, especially among young profiles.
“The normalization of carrying bladed weapons in public and the low perception of criminal risk are generating a breeding ground that leads to tragedies”, they point out from the organization. In this context, they denounce that the agents work with limited resources and under growing operational and social pressure.
30,000 sanctions in one year: a structural problem
According to official data corresponding to 2024, around 30,000 sanctions for possession or use of bladed weapons were registered in Spain, a figure that the union interprets as a clear indicator of the magnitude of the problem.
Although the complete data for 2025 have not yet been published, JUPOL maintains that the trend is increasing and should set off all alarms in the political and security spheres. Added to this, according to their complaints, is the increase in attempted homicides and attacks against law enforcement officers, which demonstrates —they affirm— a deterioration of institutional respect.
Criticism of legislation and limits on police action
The union considers that the current regulation on the possession of bladed weapons is insufficient and lacks a real deterrent effect. “The sanctions are not up to the problem,” they maintain.
JUPOL also criticizes the legislative reforms that, in its opinion, weaken police tools such as preventive pat-downs, included in the Organic Law on the Protection of Citizen Security. They consider that limiting these actions means "leaving agents and citizens defenseless".
“Every bladed weapon that is not detected in time is a potential tragedy,” they warn, defending these checks as an essential prevention tool.
Call for a legislative tightening
Faced with this scenario, JUPOL demands an immediate toughening of legislation on bladed weapons, an increase in administrative and criminal penalties, and the maintenance of preventive pat-downs as a key tool for citizen security.
The union also claims explicit political backing for police work and the provision of more legal and operational resources. Likewise, it warns that, if urgent measures are not adopted, the escalation of violence could consolidate in the coming months.
“It is not about generating alarm, but about facing a reality that is already having serious consequences,” they point out from the organization. JUPOL concludes that its obligation is to defend citizen security and the working conditions of the agents: “Spain needs firmer laws, more police tools, and less complacency with violence.”
The debate on prevention
According to various police sources, the use of knives and switchblades has consolidated as a growing factor of urban violence. In recent years, Spain has registered a sustained increase in violent episodes with bladed weapons, both in assaults and homicides, a trend that worries security forces and has reopened the debate on prevention, legislation, and control of the carrying of these types of objects.
Police forces and security experts point to several elements that could explain this evolution: on the one hand, a greater normalization of carrying bladed weapons is observed, especially in urban and nightlife settings. And, added to this is the growing participation of young profiles in violent conflicts, where the use of improvised weapons or weapons carried habitually has become an added risk factor.
The perception of little criminal consequence in the possession or use of this type of weapon is also pointed out, which would reduce the deterrent effect. Alongside this, social factors influence, such as conflict in public spaces, the consumption of alcohol or drugs in leisure contexts, and the emergence of violent youth groups.
The increase in these episodes has generated concern in the police sphere, which demands reinforcing prevention and control tools. Among the most recurrent demands are the increase in surveillance in sensitive areas, the review of the sanctioning framework, and greater operational capacity to detect weapons before they are used.
In this context, the phenomenon of bladed weapons has become one of the main urban security challenges in Spain, with an evolution that, according to different sources, continues to rise and shows no clear signs of stabilization.