PP keeps its offensive against squatting in Barcelona: two urgent evictions

Barcelona's PP has taken on the role of leading the fight against squatting that the party is carrying out throughout Catalonia. Daniel Sirera's team has taken the lead in this strategy, along with other local PP leaders such as Xavier García Albiol in Badalona and Manu Reyes in Castelldefels. For Catalonia's PP, and in Barcelona in particular, squatting is the origin of crime problems.

PP in the Catalan capital has been denouncing squatting in Barcelona for months. The municipal group is demanding the urgent eviction of two problematic settlements in the Sant Andreu del Palomar neighborhood.

They will present this to the Security Commission that has been convened this Wednesday in the Barcelona city council. The party will convey the residents' discomfort over the conflicts brought by the settlements. Among these are thefts and fires that threaten coexistence and even put residents' safety at risk.

Garbage and rat infestations

As Metrópoli Abierta reports, PP will present a proposal that emphasizes the "insecurity" and "unhealthiness" of these settlements. The party also highlights the precarious conditions of those living in the settlements. "This has a direct impact on residents' lives," they warn.

Residents have reported the state of neglect in the area surrounding these settlements. Among other things, they complain about accumulated garbage and rat infestations. They also report thefts and car burnings, as well as bonfires that pose a fire risk.

PP is demanding the dismantling of the settlements for the construction of a sports, residential, health, or cultural facility. They are calling for an increased presence of the Guardia Urbana to ensure residents' safety. The party is also requesting the activation of appropriate protocols to protect the shantytown dwellers and offer them an alternative.

PP warns

The case is very similar to Vallcarca, the Barcelona neighborhood that over the years became the epicenter of illegal settlements and squatting. Last month, a fire led to the dismantling of the settlements. PP warns of the risk of this happening again, this time in Sant Andreu del Palomar.

In Vallcarca, the eviction triggered the outbreak of conflict between residents and radical pro-squatting organizations. Although they are a minority, these groups have taken over the space and the public debate. They also have significant influence in Catalan public and subsidized media.

Parties such as PP and Vox are making inroads in that space monopolized by radicals. They help give a voice to residents, who are usually silenced, and propose drastic measures to cut the problem at its root.