29.05.2014 - 11:47
From Monday to Wednesday, there have been many demonstrations and small riots in Barcelona and other cities throughout Catalonia to protest the eviction of Can Vies, a social center self-managed by civil associations and anarchist trade unions squatting in a municipal building. Can Vies has been running since 1997 and was a symbol among the alternative left and anti-system movements in Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia. The building it occuied was next to the train tracks in Sants on a dead-end street, and owned by Barcelona’s Metropolitan Transport Authority (TMB). TMB had somehow tolerated the occupation of its facilities, but a few years ago a new town planning project was put in place to cover the train tracks with a public park. TMB argues that parts of the building – built in the late 19th century – had to be demolished because they were in bad condition and people could get hurt. On Monday, the day after the European elections, the Catalan Police started to empty Can Vies, an eviction that had been paralyzed for a long time by community demonstrations. In the past few months, the City Council and the associations located in Can Vies had been negotiating, but a few weeks ago dialogue was broken off. Barcelona’s Mayor, Xavier Trias, stated on Wednesday that he will not negotiate again until all violence ends.
After 17 years of social and cultural activities in the Sants neighborhood in the western part of the Barcelona municipality, as of last Monday, the building in which Can Vies squatted no longer exists. The occupied building had been split into a residential section for squatters and a self-managed center for community activities, such as theater and dance groups, cinema sessions and art exhibitions or political debates and conferences. Can Vies had become a flagship of the squatter and alternative left movements in Catalonia.
This Wednesday, neighbors expressed contradictory feelings regarding the dismantling of Can Vies. On one hand they regret the death of this self-managed center that was an active part of the neighborhood but, on the other, are angry and scared by the violent protests by the Can Vies organizations and their sympathizers.
Authorities started to demolish the squat and protesters burnt the bulldozer and a TV van
On Monday evening, after Catalan Police managed to remove 12 activists that were presenting passive resistance through actions such as chaining themselves to the rooftop, the building was finally emptied. It was immediately bricked up and a bulldozer started to demolish a part of it.
This sparked a series of demonstrations and violent protests, which ended with the bulldozer and a mobile TV unit being torched Monday night. In addition, small riots took place in several Barcelona neighborhoods on Tuesday evening and 6 people were arrested. Monday night was particularly chaotic and by Tuesday night riots had travelled to other parts of the city, expanding the problem. On Wednesday, alternative left groups organized demonstrations in 50 different locations in Catalonia, arguing that Can Vies “cannot be touched”.
Catalan Police attack an alternative left magazine
The Catalan Police – called Mossos d’Esquadra – made great efforts to act against protesters on Monday and Tuesday evening. However, the Mossos also sparked conflict when on Monday they broke the front window of the newsroom of a famous alternative left magazine ‘La Directa’, which happens to have its headquarters near Can Vies, and were about to hit reporters. In the middle of this crisis, the General Director of the Catalan Police, Manel Prat, resigned on Tuesday evening “for strictly personal reasons”.
Member of the Catalan Parliament David Fernàndez, who is one of the leaders of the radical left and independence party CUP, criticized the Mossos’ attack against ‘La Directa’. In addition, the CUP, as part of the anti-system movement, has given its full support to the Can Vies organizations and has contributed to organizing the demonstrations throughout Catalonia.
Barcelona City Council will not return to negotiating table if violence continues
Protesters are accusing Barcelona City Council of lying. According to them, public authorities were initially saying that they needed to undertake renovation work on the building. Can Vies people believe that in reality authorities only wanted to tear it down.
However, Barcelona Mayor Xavier Trias insists Can Vies groups were offered the possibility to occupy another building in the Sants neighborhood, free of charge, so as they could continue carrying out their social and cultural activities. After the violent protests of the past 3 days, Trias stated on Wednesday that he will not negotiate until the violence ends.
