In Barcelona, PP leader Daniel Sirera has accused Mayor Jaume Collboni of protecting the people occupying Can Vies in Sants. Sirera says the building should be turned into a public facility, a plan that the Urban Planning Commission approved a year ago.
He also asked the city council to say whether the events announced at Can Vies have permission. According to the PP, parties are planned for 22, 29 and 30 of this month, after a celebration on Wednesday for the building’s 29th anniversary of occupation.
In a press release, Sirera said, “Barcelona cannot continue to be a city where squatters roam freely while the city council looks the other way.” He added that it is “intolerable” that, a year after approval for the site’s conversion into a municipal facility, the occupants still act “as if they own the space”.
The PP said there should be a permanent Guardia Urbana presence on the announced party days to prevent disturbances and protect residents’ right to rest. Sirera also criticised what he sees as a double standard, saying the council sets rules for residents, but tolerates unpermitted parties in a ruined building.
Can Vies, near Sants Estació, has been occupied since 1997 and remains a major symbol of Barcelona’s squatters’ movement. The site has long been a flashpoint in local politics, with past eviction attempts leading to protests and clashes. You can read more about the site on the Can Vies social centre website.
The city council has not yet responded publicly to Sirera’s claims or his call for more police presence. For more Barcelona politics coverage, see our Community and Sport tag pages.
Originally published by ABC Cataluña. Read original article.
