The triumph of some neighbors against squatters that shows the reality of Catalonia

Neighborhood pressure has achieved what no institution was able to solve for over a year. A group of troublesome squatters left a parking lot in the Hostafrancs neighborhood, which had become a hub of crime and fear. The space, located on Béjar Street, was very graphically known as the "parking lot of horrors."

For months, residents lived with horrific scenes of drug trafficking, prostitution, and unsanitary conditions. More than 200 neighbors suffered thefts, threats, and high-risk situations. Many women in the building, for example, avoided going down to the garage alone for fear of sexual assaults.

The authorities ignored the repeated complaints filed by the community. Neither Barcelona City Council, nor the property owners, nor the courts offered any solution. The situation only changed when a media outlet, La Vanguardia, exposed the problem, as well as prominent social media users.

Four days after the publication, the Guàrdia Urbana collaborated with the neighbors in a joint eviction operation. The intervention allowed the parking lot occupants to voluntarily leave the place. As expected, they didn't accept social assistance and left by their own decision.

The community hired a cleaning and private security company to reclaim the space. Additionally, measures will be taken to prevent new occupations in the future. The police identified seven people during the operation, without any confrontations occurring.

The community's role

The action wouldn't have occurred without the organized initiative of the neighbors, tired of living under constant threat. It was their perseverance, and not the administrations' official actions, that forced the intervention. The case reveals a concerning lack of citizen protection against illegal occupation situations in Catalonia.

The story of this Barcelona parking lot reflects a growing problem in many cities in Catalonia, starting with the discredit of many political groups toward the squatting issue. But the truth is that Catalonia accounts for 40% of all squatting cases in Spain. Meanwhile, several criminologists specializing in the matter have reiterated that squatting is a first step in creating what they call a "criminal comfort zone."

On the other hand, it explains why several mayors in Catalonia (from very different political backgrounds) have achieved electoral success by directly confronting this reality.