The threats of the last few days from the squatters installed on two farms in the Sant Gervasi-La Bonanova neighborhood are triggering the concern of the government of Mayor Ada Colau. The Deputy Mayor for Security himself, Albert Batlle, fears that the more or less imminent evictions of El Kubo and La Ruïna will unleash “a pitched battle” in the streets of the upper part of the city. If, in the middle of the electoral race, incidents such as those once experienced in Sants and Gràcia, after the attempts to evict Can Vies and the Banc Expropriat, occurred, surely the results of the next municipal elections would be determined.
Here they planned to build luxury apartments a long time ago. But the brick crisis frustrated the project. In the end, Sareb became the majority owner of these two buildings located at 6 Sant Joan de la Salle street. After a few years of abandonment, El Kubo in 2016 and Las Ruïna in 2019 were occupied. One works mainly as a home and the other as a social center. The launch of El Kubo was scheduled for the previous morning. Weeks ago the squatters entrenched this old office building with metal fences and construction material, and also warned on social networks that if they were kicked out they would sow chaos, that the entire neighborhood would burn down. Finally, with a few hours to go, the launch was postponed.
“Obviously it will not be easy to evict them,” deputy mayor Batlle abounds. Also, we need to get the evictions from these two buildings to take place on the same day. So we ask the judge. Otherwise, the squatters of the evicted property will move to the other. But we have no other choice. We have to stop the coexistence problems that these occupations have generated for a long time. We are talking about alcohol, noise, uncontrolled parties… Sareb’s neglect as the owner was absolute for many years. It is time to end this situation.”
Daniel Sirera, the PP mayor in the next elections, went to the place yesterday to demand that the government of Mayor Colau restore legality as soon as possible. “Having a mayoress who was a squatter and who defends the squatters has turned Barcelona into an anti-system paradise. In 2014 Trias lacked firmness to evict Can Vies and nine years later they are still there because today, with Colau, everything remains the same or worse. From the PP we will apply policies that will make it clear to these criminals that they are not welcome”.
Eva Parera, the candidate for Valents, who months ago started a campaign against the squatting here, wanted to denounce the discomfort of many residents of the surrounding area. “It is a shame that Colau and the PSC allow the violent squatters who launch rockets and shoot with BB guns at the neighbors a free bar of infractions,” said Parera in relation to some incidents recorded several months ago. “We hope that the eviction has not been stopped for electoral reasons, after the threats from the squatters who claimed that the Sant Gervasi neighborhood would burn in the event of police action.”
