The Europa Pool in Gibraltar was shut down after human waste was found in multiple areas of the facility. The incident, identified as an act of vandalism, was discovered on the morning of August 4.
The pool manager opened to carry out the usual routine checks and allow cleaning staff access. However, upon entering the toliets he was met with a scene that the Goverment described as “horrific” – walls covered in faeces. No physical damage was found in the facility, and the Royal Gibraltar Police was contacted immediately.
Further investigation found faeces in the pool water, around the edge, and other parts of the complex. According to public health guidance, standard protocols were immediately followed.
The pool required three complete filtration cycles and a thorough disinfection process before it could be reopened to the public, and only once authorisation from the Environmental Agency was granted.
Europa Pool has experienced vandialism of a similar kind before, and as a result of the incident the Goverment is considering installing CCTV cameras at Europa Pool and other recreational areas to ensure greater control and monitoring of community spaces.
According to the Gibraltarian Government, “these senseless acts not only interrupt access to an important public facility at the height of summer, but also place an unnecessary burden on public resources and on GSLA (Gibraltar Sports and Lesiure Authority) staff, who work hard to keep our facilities clean, safe and welcoming for everyone”.
The Gibraltarian Executive strongly condemn the “shameful behaviour”.
It added: “Senseless acts of destruction have no place in our society. We all have a role to play in protecting the community spaces we value, and for this reason we encourage anyone with information about this incident to come forward.”
The public pool reopened on August 5 after multiple water filtration cycles, technical controls, and safety checks. The GLSA carried out a comprehensive cleaning operation to ensure the pool was in optimal condition and safe for public use.
The authority has thanked the public for their patience and understanding during the facility’s closure.
