Illegal rave draws 3,000 to tiny La Granja in Cáceres, one arrested

Illegal rave descends on La Granja

An unauthorised rave party has drawn thousands of people to the small municipality of La Granja in Cáceres province, Extremadura, since the night of 13 August 2026. The Guardia Civil became aware of the gathering that night, but the volume of vehicles and people prevented officers from initially controlling access to the area. The party was convened through social media and is centred on the surroundings of a natural pool in a town of roughly 300 inhabitants, situated between the Trasierra mountains and the Ambroz river in the north of Cáceres province.

Attendance estimates vary across sources. The mayor of La Granja, Oscar Martín, put the figure at approximately 2,500 people, while the Guardia Civil reported about 3,000 attendees and around 1,000 vehicles. El Periódico Extremadura, cited by La Razón, gave a range of 3,000 to 5,000 people and described the site as a camp of vehicles with foreign license plates. Attendees have arrived from several countries, including France, and people continued arriving on foot throughout Friday 14 August as the Guardia Civil blocked vehicle access to the site.

Arrest and administrative complaints

The Guardia Civil detained one man after he ignored a stop signal from officers and continued driving. Following a pursuit, agents arrested him on suspicion of disobedience and resistance to authority, as well as a road safety offence for driving without a licence. During the security operation, officers also issued several administrative complaints to attendees for illicit drug possession and traffic violations.

The Guardia Civil has established a security perimeter around the site. Vehicle access to the area where the party is being held is no longer permitted, and controls remain in place on surrounding roads to prevent new arrivals. The force says its priority is to guarantee the safety of La Granja residents, nearby towns, and users of surrounding roads. Patrols from different specialities were mobilised immediately, but the scale of the gathering meant that initial efforts to block access failed.

Mayor opposes forced eviction

Oscar Martín, who interrupted his holidays after learning of the gathering, told EFE that evicting the attendees would be "counterproductive" for safety reasons. He informed the Guardia Civil that the municipality has an ordinance prohibiting free camping. His principal concern, he said, is that the massive influx could trigger a fire in the area.

Martín noted that a similar rave took place 15 or 20 years ago at a nearby reservoir. He expressed hope that the attendees would leave the zone voluntarily.

Residents and union reactions

Residents have expressed bewilderment at the scale of the event. According to La Razón, neighbours reported that some participants were bathing naked in the natural pool and that thousands of people intended to prolong the musical celebrations until 18 August, defying regulations on public gatherings.

The Asociación Unificada de Guardias Civiles criticised the shortage of personnel at the start of the intervention, saying a small group of officers had to work marathon shifts. The union called for a specific national plan, rest shifts, and adequate material resources for such events.