Police carried out the early-morning eviction of the former B9 school building in Badalona, near Barcelona. The property, located in the Sant Roc district, had been illegally occupied for more than two years and is owned by the local council. The operation followed a court order that enabled the city to regain possession of the building.
Spa.in Press
The police operation began shortly before 7 a.m. After several loudspeaker announcements calling on occupants to leave the premises voluntarily, the eviction commenced at dawn. While some individuals left the site without incident, moments of resistance and crowding were reported at access points. At around 8:45 a.m., officers entered the building.
From the early hours of the morning, numerous social organisations and activist groups had gathered in the surrounding area. They took to the streets to protest against the eviction and, where possible, to prevent it from going ahead. Their presence created a tense atmosphere, although the situation remained largely peaceful.
Desalojo comienza en poco #Badalona #Albiol #Racismo pic.twitter.com/laLfhBhvHy
— 🇵🇸 I support the Palestinian RESISTANCE 🇵🇸 (@Xi_Palestine) December 17, 2025
Up to 500 people lived in the building at its peak
According to social organisations, around 200 people were still inside the former school at the time of the eviction. In previous years, up to 500 individuals had lived there under precarious conditions, most of them migrants without regular housing. Since 2023, the city of Badalona had been pursuing legal action to recover the property.
Health and safety concerns cited as key reasons
City officials pointed to serious public health and safety issues as the main reasons for requesting the eviction. Several cases of tuberculosis had been recorded in the past. In addition, the area had seen repeated incidents involving violence, theft and drug use, turning the surroundings of the building into a social hotspot.
Social and medical support on site
Municipal social services were present during the operation to assist those affected. The Catalan emergency medical service also provided on-site support, ready to intervene if necessary.
Political pressure following serious incidents
The eviction has drawn sharp criticism of Badalona’s mayor, Xavier García Albiol, from several of the protesting organisations. Protest leaders accuse the city council of neglecting the social dimension of the situation, arguing that the eviction could have been postponed until spring to allow time to arrange alternative accommodation and avoid leaving people without shelter during the winter months.
Mayor García Albiol defended the operation, stating that it was necessary to restore safety in the neighbourhood. In recent months, the former school building had repeatedly made headlines. Over the summer, a fatal stabbing occurred nearby, triggering a murder investigation and further increasing political pressure on the local authorities.
Hoy DESALOJAN a 400 okupas de una nave en Badalona y Que SOLO hay mujeres defendiendo a los okupas delincuentes da MUCHO que pensar.pic.twitter.com/gDmfdCuQlx
— Anonymous Tabarnia 🃏 (@Anonymous_TA) December 17, 2025
With the early-morning operation, the process of returning the former B9 school building to the ownership of the city of Badalona has now begun. Decisions regarding the future use of the property, as well as long-term solutions for those who were evicted, are expected to be taken in the coming weeks.
