The Spanish model and entrepreneur Jessica Goicoechea has sparked an intense debate about crime, immigration, and safety in Spain after revealing that she no longer feels safe in Barcelona without carrying self-defense equipment.

In a widely noted video on social media, Goicoechea displays the contents of her handbag—several canisters of pepper spray and a taser—while saying, “Now I can finally walk calmly in Barcelona.”

The video has garnered millions of views and has become a symbol of the growing debate about insecurity in the Catalan capital.

After the publication, the model received both support and harsh criticism. Some accused her of fueling xenophobia, while others felt she was putting words to a reality many residents experience.

ALSO READ: Spain’s Amnesty Spirals—Over 1.2 Million Applications Despite Forecast of Half a Million

When critics pointed out that possession of a taser may be illegal, Goicoechea responded: “I may get arrested, but at least I won’t be killed or raped.”

She simultaneously described the situation as sad, arguing that no one should have to feel compelled to carry self-defense equipment just to move about in their own city.

Linked Crime to Immigration

The debate became even more heated when Goicoechea responded in the comments section to questions about what she believes is behind the increased insecurity. She emphasized that she is not against immigration per se, but wrote that people who come to Spain to commit crimes should be deported.

“If you come here to steal or kill, I would prefer for you to be deported,” she wrote in a widely discussed post.

She simultaneously dismissed accusations of racism, stating that her criticism concerns crime and not people’s ethnic backgrounds.

Insecurity Dominates the Political Debate

Goicoechea’s statements come at a time when crime and safety have become among Spain’s most hotly debated political issues.

For several years, Barcelona has struggled with problems related to pickpocketing, robberies, violent crimes, and organized crime. Recently, several high-profile shootings and other serious violent crimes have occurred in and around the city, further intensifying the debate on law and order.

Critics of current migration policy argue that extensive immigration has contributed to these developments and point out that a large proportion of those arrested for certain types of crimes have foreign backgrounds.

Others, however, argue that crime is a more complex social problem in which factors such as segregation, poverty, and social vulnerability play a decisive role.

Dividing Spain

Goicoechea’s statements illustrate the growing polarization in Spain. For many, she has become a voice for ordinary people who feel that safety has deteriorated and that the problems are not being taken seriously enough by politicians and the media.

For others, her comments risk oversimplifying a complex problem and contributing to a general association between immigration and crime.

Regardless, the famous model’s statements have once again turned the spotlight on an issue expected to play a central role in Spanish society’s debate for a long time to come.

ALSO READ: Ekeroth: Spain Rewards Illegal Immigration and Restricts Freedom of Expression—EU Turns a Blind Eye