Marbella City Council says it will distribute 2,500 free wristbands designed to detect substances associated with chemical submission during the Feria y Fiestas of San Pedro Alcántara. The event is scheduled to run from 13 to 19 October.
The announcement was published by the council’s Equality and Diversity department. Its website also lists a campaign on detector wristbands dated 7 October, ahead of the fair.
Chemical submission refers to drugging someone without their knowledge or consent, often in connection with sexual assault. The council’s stated purpose for the wristbands is prevention; the available information does not specify which substances they detect or explain how they should be used.
The council has not provided details in the material available about where during the fair the wristbands will be handed out, whether there is a limit per person, or what visitors should do if a wristband indicates a substance may be present. Fairgoers should check with the Ayuntamiento for distribution points and instructions before relying on the devices.
The wristbands are one measure aimed at people attending San Pedro’s annual celebrations. The announcement does not describe other safety arrangements or give further information about the technology, so the devices should not be treated as a substitute for seeking help if someone feels unwell or unsafe.
The fair is due to begin on 13 October. The council has not stated how long distribution will continue or whether any wristbands will remain available after the event starts.