Parents face 750-euro fines after police catch teenagers throwing eggs at buses in Spain

As a Local Police vehicle drove through the northern district of Granada city the day before Halloween in 2023, the unmarked car came across a group of youngsters waiting for buses to pass with eggs in their hands. In just one hour, eight minors between the ages of ten and fourteen were identified for these acts of vandalism. Of these eight minors, two of them were caught throwing eggs at buses again this year, on Sunday 27 October.

A police team located three teenagers who were hiding in the vicinity of Calle Puerta de los Guzmanes. They ran off when they saw the police car but the officers caught up with them a few metres further on.

The three minors, aged between 13 and 16, were taken to their respective homes where their parents were identified. During the operation, the eggs that the youngsters were carrying at the time they were caught were confiscated.

The 750-euro fine that the two sets of parents face is based on article 162 of a local bylaw, which states: "Parents or guardians will be liable for the damages caused by offences committed by minors who are dependent on them".

It goes on to say that parents or guardians will also be "directly and jointly and severally liable for infringements committed by minors, provided that, on their part, there is evidence of intent, fault or negligence, including simple non-compliance".

The youngsters have also been reported for an infringement of the protection of public safety law, for which a fine of up to 600 euros may be imposed.

The three minors were caught as part of a police operation planned for the run-up to Halloween to prevent acts of vandalism against city buses, to guarantee the public service for all residents of the Cartuja and Almanjáyar districts.

The president of the Almanjáyar residents' association, Angel Rubio, has presented a project to try to resolve these types of problems in the district. "The plan involves hiring people with authority, who we would call 'neighbourhood caretakers'. We are already working voluntarily with minors through direct interventions with them and their families, and one of the very effective alternatives, which is giving very positive results, is to enable them to use the sports facilities that we manage, but it is necessary to have the financial means to hire people who can work with the minors and their families," the proposal stated.