Malaga Holy Week 2026: folding chairs line up before processions despite ban

Mayor of Malaga Francisco de la Torre has expressly banned the use of portable chairs during the Holy Week. Nonetheless, people used all sorts of chairs to reserve a good spot from which to watch the processions on Palm Sunday, 29 March.

The highest concentration of sitting people was around the Tribuna de los Pobres, from where they could see the most awaited processions of the day: Pollinica and Prendimiento.

De la Torre's ban on the use of all sorts of movable furniture cites safety reasons. It applies "especially to streets with intersections, narrow streets, access points to buildings and public establishments and where movement may be restricted" due to "large crowds".

The Local Police are responsible for monitoring the situation and informing people with chairs that they should fold them and stand up. If anyone refuses to follow these orders, the police have the right to "remove them [the chairs], with the expenses incurred being borne by the interested party in accordance with current legislation".

Despite this ban, folding chairs were present at several points in the city last year, the intersection of Calle Especería and Calle Cisneros being just one example.

In response to SUR's request to know why the Local Police do not always intervene, the city council said: "The Local Police assess the situation and evaluate whether issuing a fine could provoke a more serious action that results in a public order incident. Therefore, they act with caution and based on principles of proportionality."