The Other Version of What Happened in Salt: 'The Imam Wanted Special Treatment and Threatened'

Kalilu Diwara, a septuagenarian imam of the Muslim and sub-Saharan community in Salt, was a victim of real estate speculation and institutional racism. He was evicted without housing and was forced to reoccupy the apartment to avoid being on the street. The local administration and the Catalan police acted with brutality, serving the interests of large property holders.

This is the version that radical organizations and public and subsidized media in Catalonia have been spreading for days. But there is another unofficial version that has barely appeared in the media and shows the other side of this story.

In this story, there are many conflicting versions. One suggests that the imam regularly paid the mortgage installments. He is considered another victim of the vulture funds that, especially in Salt, accumulate empty apartments while expelling immigrants from their homes.

Additionally, they accuse the Mossos of having acted with brutality on Monday when they caught him red-handed trying to get into the apartment.

This justifies the subsequent disturbances.

The imam himself distanced himself from the violent episodes and condemned the attacks on the police. His daughter complains that "they kicked us out of our house and don't want to help us because we are not a vulnerable family." She claims they reached an agreement with the mayor and were looking for a solution.

Another Version of What Happened

But El Confidencial has revealed another unofficial version that contradicts the narrative that has been sold so far.

Agents of the Mossos d'Esquadra say they had to evict the imam this Monday "because he had been occupying for less than 48 hours." According to the law, he had to be evicted again.

They also say that the imam had requested a "priority apartment for his family." In other words, preferential treatment bypassing the list of applicants for social housing. But the official was inflexible, refusing because they did not meet the legal requirements.

According to this version, the imam threatened the social worker with going to the mayor and told her to face the consequences. Apparently, the mayor tried to convince the official to find a solution, but she resisted the pressure. Moreover, she warned the mayor that if he gave him an apartment, she would tell everything to the media.

This is how the mayor ultimately dismissed the option of social housing. Although it initially emerged that the city council had offered social housing to the imam without meeting the requirements, it did not actually do so. However, it is not ruled out in the future, as negotiations are ongoing.