The Three Mossos Caganers: A Catalonian Farewell to Christmas and a Wish for Security in 2026
As the Christmas season draws to a close and we prepare to welcome the Three Wise Men on January 6th, I find myself contemplating an unusual trinity displayed before me: three caganers dressed as Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalonian police force of Barcelona. These whimsical ceramic figures, caught in their characteristic act of defecation, represent far more than mere scatological humor. They embody a profound Catalonian tradition that democratizes dignity through irreverence, reminding us that all members of society—from politicians to athletes, from religious figures to law enforcement—share in our common humanity.
The Caganer Tradition: Democracy Through Defecation
The caganer tradition, deeply rooted in Catalonian and broader Spanish Christmas culture, dates back to the 18th century, though some scholars suggest its origins may be even older. These small figurines, typically depicting a peasant in traditional Catalonian dress with a barretina (red cap) squatting in the act of defecation, have historically found their place hidden within pessebres (nativity scenes). The agricultural symbolism is clear: the caganer fertilizes the earth, promising abundance and prosperity for the coming year. It's an earthly reminder of natural cycles, of renewal through what we discard.
What makes this tradition particularly fascinating from an anthropological perspective is its evolution beyond the traditional peasant figure. Contemporary caganers have transformed into satirical commentary on power, celebrity, and social hierarchy. No one is immune—popes, presidents, football stars, musicians, and yes, police officers—all find themselves immortalized in ceramic, squatting in the great equalizer of human experience. This democratization of the scatological is quintessentially Catalonian: it refuses to grant anyone immunity from gentle mockery while simultaneously including everyone in the communal narrative.
The production of caganers depicting public figures serves multiple cultural functions. It acts as social commentary, political satire, and communal catharsis. When we see a politician or authority figure rendered as a caganer, we're reminded that beneath uniforms, suits, and titles, we all share the same biological imperatives. It's humbling without being cruel, irreverent without being disrespectful—a delicate balance that Catalonian culture has mastered over centuries.
From Three Kings to Three Mossos: A Contemporary Parallel
The timing of my reflection on these three Mossos caganers is deliberate. As we transition from Christmas Day to Dia dels Reis (Three Kings' Day) on January 6th, the symbolic parallel becomes irresistible. The Three Wise Men—Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar—brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ child. These gifts represented material wealth, spiritual devotion, and mortality respectively. What gifts might these three Mossos bring to Barcelona as we enter 2026?
The answer, I believe, is found in what Barcelona most desperately needs: security, peace, and the restoration of civic confidence. Just as the Magi followed a star to fulfill their purpose, these representatives of the Mossos d'Esquadra navigate the complex constellation of urban challenges that define contemporary Barcelona. The question remains: will 2026 see an improvement in the security situation that has concerned residents throughout 2025?
Barcelona's Security Landscape in 2025: An Analysis
Barcelona's relationship with crime and security has been complex and often concerning throughout 2025. The city, celebrated globally for its architecture, culture, and Mediterranean lifestyle, has simultaneously grappled with perceptions and realities of urban insecurity that have affected both residents and the crucial tourism sector.
Statistical data from 2025 presents a nuanced picture. According to the Mossos d'Esquadra and Barcelona's municipal police, reported crimes in the city showed varied patterns across different categories. Petty theft, particularly targeting tourists in high-traffic areas like Las Ramblas, the Gothic Quarter, and Sagrada Familia, remained a persistent challenge. The Mossos reported that pickpocketing incidents, while showing a slight decrease from 2024 levels, continued to represent the most common crime affecting visitors and residents alike.
More concerning were reports of violent crime in certain neighborhoods. Areas such as Raval and parts of Ciutat Vella experienced incidents that generated significant media attention and public concern. Robbery with violence, though representing a small percentage of overall crime, increased by approximately 8-12% compared to 2024, according to preliminary data from the Interior Ministry. These statistics, while not placing Barcelona among Europe's most dangerous cities, nonetheless contributed to a perception of declining safety.
The phenomenon of narcopisos (drug apartments) continued to plague certain residential areas, with neighbors reporting open-air drug dealing and the associated social disruption. The Mossos conducted numerous operations throughout 2025, dismantling networks and closing illegal establishments, yet the challenge persisted, adapting to enforcement efforts with concerning resilience.
Tourism-related crime remained particularly problematic. The city's dependence on tourism—Barcelona welcomed over 12 million visitors in 2024 and similar numbers in 2025—makes it an attractive target for organized theft rings. The Mossos established specialized units focusing on tourist areas, increasing both uniformed and plainclothes presence, particularly during peak seasons. These efforts yielded thousands of arrests, yet the perception among visitors that Barcelona carries higher-than-average risks for theft remained stubbornly persistent.
Youth violence also emerged as a concerning trend in 2025. Several high-profile incidents involving young people in public spaces, sometimes linked to gang activity or social media-organized confrontations, generated public alarm and demands for stronger preventive measures and social intervention programs.
However, it's crucial to maintain perspective. Compared to many European and global cities of similar size, Barcelona's overall crime rates remained moderate. Homicide rates stayed relatively low, and the city avoided the kind of security crises affecting some other major urban centers. The challenge has been less about absolute crime levels and more about the trajectory, perception, and the concentration of certain crimes in specific areas and against particular groups.
Have We Improved? Measuring Progress
Assessing whether Barcelona has "improved" its security situation in 2025 requires defining our baseline and metrics. Compared to the pandemic years of 2020-2021, when crime rates dropped artificially due to lockdowns and reduced movement, 2025 represented a return to more typical urban patterns. Compared to 2024, the picture is mixed.
The Mossos increased their personnel in Barcelona by approximately 300 officers during 2025, focusing on neighborhood policing and rapid response units. This investment, along with enhanced coordination with the Guardia Urbana (municipal police), contributed to improved response times and increased visibility in problem areas. Public satisfaction surveys conducted mid-year showed modest improvements in residents' perception of police presence, though concerns about overall safety remained elevated.
Technology played an increasingly important role in 2025's security strategy. The expansion of the city's surveillance camera network, integration of predictive policing algorithms (controversial among privacy advocates), and improved communication systems allowed for more strategic resource deployment. The Mossos reported that these tools contributed to solving a higher percentage of reported crimes compared to previous years.
Community policing initiatives expanded in several districts, with officers assigned to specific neighborhoods to build relationships with residents, business owners, and community organizations. These programs showed promising results in areas where they were fully implemented, with residents reporting improved trust in law enforcement and greater willingness to report incidents and cooperate with investigations.
Yet challenges persisted. The social and economic factors underlying certain types of crime—poverty, inequality, lack of opportunity, housing insecurity, addiction—remained largely unaddressed by purely enforcement-based approaches. Critics argued that Barcelona needed not just more police, but more comprehensive social policies addressing root causes.
The Wish for 2026: What Security Actually Means
As I bid farewell to the Christmas season of 2025 with these three Mossos caganers as my symbolic companions, my wish for 2026 extends beyond simple crime statistics. True security encompasses more than the absence of crime; it includes the presence of conditions that allow people to flourish without fear.
For Barcelona's residents, security means walking through their neighborhoods at any hour without anxiety. It means elderly citizens feeling safe using public transportation. It means parents confident in their children's ability to navigate the city independently. It means business owners operating without constant vigilance against theft. It means migrants and minorities experiencing equal protection and justice.
For visitors, security means experiencing Barcelona's extraordinary cultural offerings without the shadow of concern for personal belongings or safety. It means the city's reputation reflects its reality as a welcoming, vibrant Mediterranean metropolis rather than being defined by isolated incidents amplified through social media and travel warnings.
For the Mossos themselves—represented here by these three whimsical caganers—security means having the resources, training, community support, and political backing necessary to perform their duties effectively and ethically. It means being viewed not as an occupying force but as integral members of the community they serve.
The Symbolism of the Three
The number three carries profound symbolic weight across cultures and traditions. The Three Wise Men, the Holy Trinity, the three fates, the three graces—throughout human storytelling, triads represent completeness, balance, and the synthesis of opposing forces. These three Mossos caganers might represent different aspects of effective policing: prevention, intervention, and community building. Or perhaps they symbolize the three levels of government—municipal, regional, and national—that must coordinate to address urban security comprehensively.
There's also something disarmingly honest about depicting authority figures as caganers. These ceramic police officers, caught in an undeniably human moment, remind us that effective law enforcement requires acknowledging shared humanity rather than maintaining authoritarian distance. The best policing occurs when officers are viewed as members of the community rather than separate from it—when they're humanized, even through gentle satire.
Fertilizing Hope for the New Year
As agricultural symbolism originally suggested, the caganer fertilizes the earth for the coming harvest. What might these three Mossos caganers fertilize for Barcelona in 2026? Perhaps a richer dialogue about what communities need to feel genuinely secure. Perhaps creative approaches to urban challenges that combine enforcement with social investment. Perhaps a renewed commitment to the kind of civic culture that makes Barcelona extraordinary—where irreverent tradition coexists with genuine concern for collective wellbeing.
The caganer tradition teaches us that no one is above being rendered in ceramic, mid-defecation, yet everyone deserves a place in the pessebre. As we welcome the Three Wise Men on January 6th and fully transition into 2026, may Barcelona find the wisdom to address its security challenges with both seriousness and humanity, with both enforcement and compassion, with both tradition and innovation.
These three Mossos caganers on my shelf serve as my peculiar talisman for the year ahead—a reminder that effective security, like good fertilizer, requires breaking down what no longer serves us to nourish what we hope to grow. May 2026 bring Barcelona the peace, security, and prosperity that all its residents and visitors deserve.
Bon any nou, Barcelona.
