The Pla Games close the Sant Joan festivities in Ciutadella
More than 25,000 people have filled the old port's amphitheatre to follow the equestrian show that puts an end to festivities also marked by incidents and security reinforcements
PalmaThe Sant Joan festivals of Ciutadella lowered the curtain this Wednesday evening with the celebration of the traditional Jocs del Pla, the event that puts an end to two intense days of horses, crowds, and emotion. More than 25,000 people filled the old port's basin to closely follow one of the most emblematic and spectacular moments of the Minorcan festive calendar.
With darkness already gaining ground and the echo of the festival still alive in the streets, the 123 participating riders returned to the Pla to exhibit themselves in the traditional games. One of the most celebrated moments was the 'ensortilla', the test in which the knights must hit, with a lance, a ring suspended more than two meters high while riding at full speed. Some of them also starred in the classic 'corregudes abraçats', one of the most iconic images of the night.
The day was completed with the 'rompre carotes' game, the oval wooden pieces that each year caricature characters linked to Ciutadella. This year, they were made by Júlia Saura, sister of the lord steward who presides over the biennium.
The morning had already served as a prelude with the rehearsals of the same Jocs del Pla, which resulted in five successful attempts at 's'ensortilla' and two medical assists for incidents with horses, one of them for a head wound that required stitches.
Beyond the celebration, however, the festivals also left episodes that forced a review of the security measures. The Local Police of Ciutadella has announced that it will reinforce preventive measures for next year after the incidents recorded during the traditional hazelnut battle in the Contramurada, where a group of about 200 young people disrupted the development of the event with glass bottle throws.
The officers were able to disperse the rioters without having to make arrests, but the police force has already warned that it wants to take "a qualitative step forward" to guarantee safety and prevent similar situations from recurring.
During these days, security forces also drew up reports on at least four individuals who were providing pirate taxi services, taking advantage of the massive influx of visitors.
Regarding the health aspect, the two individuals with head trauma injuries during the Caragol del Born on Tuesday have already been discharged from hospital.
With the Jocs del Pla as a closing, Ciutadella concludes a Sant Joan festival marked, once again, by the strength of tradition, the intensity of participation, and the need to rethink some limits in the coexistence of the festival.
