Fifty housing activists protested this morning in front of the doors of Fira Gran Via, in Hospitalet de Llobregat, against the real estate show The District, which brings together 10,000 real estate professionals from all over the world in Barcelona this week. Called by movements such as the PAH or the Rental Workers’ Union, the protesters confronted the Mossos d’Esquadra, who were protecting the premises.
Those gathered also threw paint powder of different colors at several congressmen who entered the premises, amid shouts of “speculators get out of our neighborhoods.” Unlike what happened last year, this time they did not manage to enter the premises.
The protests, which caused a delay in the start of the conferences, were criticized by Barcelona City Council. The city’s Deputy Mayor for Economy, Jordi Valls, pointed out through his X account (the old Twitter) that “what has recently happened at the gates of The District is unacceptable and I strongly condemn these incidents.”
Valls opted to defend the right to housing while promoting economic progress and warned that “we will not achieve anything if we are not able to mobilize private investment.”
The concentration, which has had moments of tension between the protesters and the Mossos d’Esquadra, has caused attendees to enter the fairgrounds in dribs and drabs and, in some cases, stained by colored powder thrown by the protesters. Due to these incidents, it is expected that the activities scheduled in The District will begin with some delay.
The District real estate show brings together some 10,000 international executives for three days and will have an expected economic impact of 21 million euros.
The District real estate show has doubled its space this year at Fira de Barcelona, ??up to 14,000 m2, and has gained international presence, especially among Anglo-Saxons because the United Kingdom is the guest country.
The organizers, the company Nebext, changed the location in this edition to the Gran Vía de L’Hospitalet venue to improve security, and prevent protests from spoiling the event, as in the previous edition.
Juan Velayos, president of the show, explained that the event brings together more than 10,000 managers and 250 companies, such as investment funds, sovereign and private capital, financial entities and asset managers in an edition that runs until September 22.
