Fiestas during Tenerife Carnivals suspended by Spanish judge

Yesterday a judge in Santa Cruz, the capital of Tenerife, ruled that street parties during the week long Carnival this month would have to be suspended. The judgement came after a group of neighbours filed a complaint about the level of noise during the fiestas.

The decision comes 8 days after the Canary Islands High Court recognised that the celebration of fiestas in the capital violated the fundamental rights of residents. The ruling also said that noise levels should not rise above 55 decibels.
A final decision will be taken on Monday. Three options are being considered. One is to move the fiestas to a non residential area where noise levels can be checked daily.

The Mayor of Santa Cruz, Miguel Zerolo, is outraged at the present uncertainty over the carnivals saying that over their 200 year history not even famine, the civil war or dictatorship has been able to stop the carnivals taking place! He also talked about the rights of Tenerife citizens saying that these were under attack.

He said that he hoped a satisfactory solution would be found next Monday.

The Mayor also said that no fiestas in Spain complied with noise restrictions and although he recognises the rights of residents he also thinks that the economic and social benefits for the city should be taken into account.

José Manuel Bermúdez, president of the local Coalición Canaria commitee in Santa Cruz, Tenerife said that he totally rejected the present ruling and called on the inhabitants of the capital to mobilize themselves in order to defend ‘their fiesta’.

Carnivals take place throughout Spain from the 15th – 25th February. The fiestas in Santa Cruz Tenerife which take place every year to celebrate carnivals are some of the largest and best known fiestas in the whole of Spain.

Related:
Carnival in Spain
Fiestas in Spain