On Wednesday morning in Badalona, one of the largest migrant eviction operations in Catalonia began. Officers from the Mossos d’Esquadra, local police, and representatives of the national forces arrived at the building of a former lyceum, where for two years more than four hundred people, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries, had been living. Though some residents left in advance, most stayed until the very end, having no other place to spend the night.
The eviction decision was made following a court order issued on December 4. City authorities were authorized to carry out the operation during daylight hours and required to complete it within two weeks. Badalona Mayor Xavier García Albiol stated that such measures are necessary to ensure order, claiming that many of the former lyceum’s inhabitants are lawbreakers and pose a threat to public safety.
Public reaction
From early morning, activists and human rights defenders gathered near the building. They protested the eviction, accusing authorities of inaction and failing to support vulnerable groups. Lawyers representing the residents tried to halt the operation by appealing to the European Court of Human Rights, but their petition was rejected just hours before the eviction began.
City authorities had warned in advance that they would not be able to provide temporary housing to most of those being evicted. Of more than four hundred people, only about thirty deemed most vulnerable were given the opportunity to stay temporarily in hotels or boarding houses. The rest were forced to find new shelter on their own—some moved to other informal settlements, while others set up tents right on the street.
No alternatives
City social services had been monitoring 166 residents of the former lyceum, yet even for them, no suitable solutions were found. Most were left homeless, and the municipal authorities offered no long-term housing options. According to one former resident, Ibrahim from Nigeria, he left the building a few days before the eviction, fearing clashes and uncertainty.
The operation in Badalona became one of the largest migrant evictions in Spain. Within a few hours, the building was completely cleared and the area cordoned off by police. Authorities stress that they acted strictly within the law, but criticism from community organizations and local residents continues.
Consequences and protests
Many of those left homeless do not know where they will spend the coming nights. Some have already joined other makeshift camps on the outskirts of the city, while others are forced to sleep under the open sky. Activists continue to demand that the municipal and regional authorities find solutions for people facing these difficult circumstances.
The eviction of the former residents from the B9 lyceum has sparked new debates about migration policy and social support in Catalonia. The question of how the authorities will address the problem of informal settlements and migrant integration remains unresolved.
