Offence against the firecracker wars in Russafa: "tradition and security must be reconciled"
Last year the neighbourhood became a "cohetódromo" that outraged neighbours and merchants
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The City Council of Valencia, in collaboration with the Convivir Russafa platform and the different entities that make up the associative fabric of the neighbourhood, has launched the campaign entitled 'Don't exploit the Fallas. Aquí no', an awareness initiative, aimed at visitors and neighbourhood with the aim of promoting a responsible use of pyrotechnic material and preventing uncivil behaviour on public roads, especially during the holidays. Last year, firecracker wars took place in Russafa to the discontent of the neighbours and protests of the merchants.
This was announced this Wednesday by the president of the Municipal Council of Russafa District and Councillor for Tourism, Innovation and Investments, Paula Llobet, who presented this initiative, accompanied by representatives of neighbourhood associations, Fallas commissions, and commercial entities and the field of consumption of the district, in a call that has been held at the confluence of the streets of Sueca and Puerto Rico.
Tradition and security
Paula Llobet explained that the objective of the campaign is to "make the pyrotechnic tradition of the Fallas compatible with safety and coexistence in the neighbourhoods." In his opinion, "the Fallas are gunpowder and tradition but also harmony, respect and security; and pyrotechnics, which is part of our culture and our identity, must be used with responsibility and respect towards other people."
In Llobet's words, with this initiative the consistory wants to remember that "enjoying the Fallas also implies taking care of the public space and guaranteeing the safety of neighbours and visitors." The action will take place especially at the intersections of Sueca Street, one of the points with the highest concentration of people during the festivities, where in previous years "firecracker wars" and even the creation of improvised "cohetódromos" have been detected.
The purpose of the campaign is to strengthen prevention and make visible the risks associated with the uncontrolled use of firecrackers in spaces with a large influx of public, "appealing to individual and collective responsibility".
Security devices
The initiative will complement the work of the different security devices planned for the days of Fallas through awareness actions and informative presence on the street. It must be taken into account that Russafa is one of the neighbourhoods with the greatest falla activity in the city, and during the big week it receives thousands of visitors, who travel the streets and intersections to access some of the fallas of special section (Cuba-Literato Azorín or Sueca-Literato Azorín, among others), as well as the streets with award-winning festive lighting..
Por ello, la campaña también prestará especial atención a otras zonas de concentración de público, como las
inmediaciones del Parque de Manuel Granero. Para trasladar el mensaje de forma cercana, la iniciativa contará con distintos soportes informativos distribuidos por el barrio, como carteles en farolas, material informativo en comercios y establecimientos hosteleros, así como contenidos audiovisuales y físicos en espacios y casales falleros.
Además, el mensaje se difundirá a través de los mupis (muebles urbano para presentación de información o de publicidad) y en el transporte público, con presencia en los autobuses de EMT València con parada o paso cercano por las calles de Russafa.
Informants in the streets
During the Falla week, the platform will also have the work of informants at street level, who will directly convey the prevention messages and distribute badges with the slogan of the campaign, with the aim of remembering in a simple and close way the importance of a responsible use of firecrackers.
They will also observe how firecrackers are used and what their impact is on the environment, both in public space and in the activities of shops, neighbourhood and visitors. The City Council recalls that these actions are complementary to the work of control and action of the police forces against the improper use of pyrotechnic material.
Urinals and containers
Along with the security component, the campaign also aims to contribute to improving cleaning and encouraging civility during the Fallas. To do this, the City Council and the Municipal District Board have designed a special signage - in Spanish, Valencian and English - that will be placed at different points of the streets and streetlights, and where the location of the temporary public urinals installed during the holidays will be indicated, as well as the new location of containers and waste collection points.
"The City Council of Valencia reaffirms its commitment to safe, civic and respectful Fallas with coexistence in the neighbourhoods," stressed Councillor Paula Llobet, while pointing out that "through this initiative, the consistory seeks to involve both neighbours and visitors in the responsible use of pyrotechnics and in the care of public space, with the aim that the celebration of the festivities takes place in a festive atmosphere, safe and compatible with the daily life of the de Russa defa district."
Likewise, from Convivir Russafa they remark, in a statement, that these actions are complementary and reinforce the work of control and action device of the police forces on the improper use of pyrotechnic material by citizens. However, the collective assures that it will maintain direct contact with the Local and National Police to transfer any serious incident, they point out.
El año pasado el barrio se convirtió en un 'cohetódromo' que indignó a vecinos y comerciantes
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