Man arrested for throwing homemade explosives from window during Carnival celebrations
A 24-year-old man has been arrested in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria after allegedly throwing homemade explosive devices from the sixth floor of his flat during the 2026 Carnival celebrations, injuring a passerby and forcing police to seal off a busy street.
According to the National Police, the suspect is being investigated for possession of explosive materials and causing minor injuries. Officers say he has previous police records for similar offences.
The incident occurred at around 10:30 pm on 14th February, when the Carnival was in full swing near Parque Santa Catalina, one of the main festival hubs in the capital. Emergency calls to the CIMACC 091 control room reported that someone was hurling explosive objects into the street below.
When officers from the Prevention and Reaction Unit (UPR) arrived, they found plastic bottles wrapped in aluminium foil that had exploded on impact, scattering debris across a pedestrian area packed with Carnival-goers.
Due to the size of the crowds, police immediately cordoned off the area until they were certain no further danger remained. One passer-by was injured by the blast and sprayed with an unidentified liquid released during one of the explosions. They were treated at the roadside by medical teams.
Witnesses pointed officers towards an upper-floor flat where the projectiles appeared to have been thrown from. Police quickly found the property with the young man inside. He admitted to being responsible and claimed he acted because he was irritated by the loud music and festivities below his home.
Specialist teams from the Scientific Police and the TEDAX-NRBQ bomb disposal unit searched the flat and seized materials believed to have been used to make the improvised devices. The items have been sent for technical analysis to determine their composition and potential danger.
Investigators believe similar small explosions had been reported in the area in recent weeks, causing concern among residents and Carnival attendees. Police have reinforced security operations for the remainder of the festivities and urged the public to report any suspicious behaviour immediately by calling 091.
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