Housing groups protest against real estate trade show in Barcelona

Housing rights groups are protesting against The Distict, a real estate trade show taking place in Fira Barcelona from Wednesday to Friday. Several hundred people gathered early on Wednesday morning in front of Hotel Catalonia Barcelona Plaza in Plaça Espanya to begin the protest, called for by various housing groups such as PAH, the Tenants Union, and various neighborhood and city-wide housing groups.

They oppose the fair as they accuse the organizers and participants of being speculators in the housing market. Shortly after 9am, the group began moving toward the events center where The District is taking place and tried to enter. Most were prevented by police, but some did manage to enter the building.

A manifesto signed by dozens of social rights groups calling for the protest against the real estate fair explained their position: “We are living through moments of suffocation for the majority of the population due to speculation in the prices of energy, food and housing, with soaring inflation that is reaching uncontrollable figures.” It goes on to condemn “millionaire profits of large financial institutions and investment funds, while thousands of families do not have minimum substinence,” before accusing administrations of “failing to fulfill their duty to implement the most elementary social rights.”

The group want to see the The District event cancelled, as they view it as a forum for people to “continue developing strategies to exploit the territory and resources, speculate and deepen the processes of impoverishment and social exclusion.”