Hundreds of migrants evicted from abandoned school by riot police

A town hall meeting argued that the squat was a public safety hazard

Comments

Migrants confront police as they begin carrying out eviction orders at an abandoned school building where hundreds of mostly undocumented migrants had been living in Badalona (AP)

Your support helps us to tell the story

Support Now

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Police in northeastern Spain have begun evicting hundreds of mostly undocumented migrants from an abandoned school building north of Barcelona.

The operation, carried out by Catalonia's regional police in riot gear, commenced early Wednesday morning under court orders. Many occupants had already vacated the premises, anticipating the action.

Located in Badalona, a working-class city bordering Barcelona, the B9 school had been home to numerous sub-Saharan migrants, predominantly from Senegal and Gambia, since its abandonment in 2023.

Badalona's mayor, Xavier García Albiol, confirmed the evictions on X, stating: "As I had promised, the eviction of the squat of 400 illegal squatters in the B9 school in Badalona begins."

Marta Llonch, a lawyer representing the squatters, highlighted that many earned a living by collecting scrap metal.

She added that some residents possessed valid residency and work permits but were compelled to live in the squat due to unaffordable housing.

The squat was located in Badalona, a working class city that borders Barcelona (Associated Press/Emilio Morenatti)

“Many people are going to sleep on the street tonight,” Llonch told The Associated Press. “Just because you evict these people it doesn’t mean they disappear.

“If you don’t give them an alternative place to live they will now be on the street, which will be a problem for them and the city.”

García Albiol, of the conservative Popular Party, has built his political career as Badalona's long-standing mayor with an anti-immigration stance.

The Badalona town hall had argued that the squat was a public safety hazard. In 2020, an old factory occupied by around a hundred migrants in Badalona caught fire and four people were killed in the blaze.

Migrants from Romania and Senegal sit in a makeshift bar inside an abandoned school in Badalona, near Barcelona (Associated Press/Emilio Morenatti)

Like other southern European countries, Spain has for more than a decade seen a steady influx of migrants who risked their lives crossing the Mediterranean or Atlantic in small boats.

While many developed countries have taken a hard-line position against migration, Spain's left-wing government has said that legal migration has helped its economy grow.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Thank you for registering

Hundreds of migrants evicted from abandoned school by riot police

A town hall meeting argued that the squat was a public safety hazard

Bookmark popover

Join our commenting forum

Thank you for registering