Over 100 squatters take over abandoned factory in Vitoria, Spain
More than 100 squatters have moved into an abandoned factory in Vitoria, in Spain's Basque Country, as tension grows over the occupation of empty industrial buildings.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Vitoria: over 100 squatters in a factory from the 1980s
In Vitoria, an abandoned factory from the 1980s has become home to more than a hundred people. They are not waiting for a rental contract, but for their paperwork; in the meantime, they survive with Red Cross cards to buy groceries. The phenomenon is not unique to the capital of Álava: occupied buildings have also been reported in San Sebastián and Herrera, and the trend has now spread to restaurants, as Telemadrid has reported.
The issue has sparked a debate about the limits of squatting. Some speak of a coordinated plan to create chaos, with phases that would culminate in the imposition of a new order. Others mock the squatters: they don't even know how to sweep, goes the harshest joke. But there are also concrete complaints: the owners allegedly removed access points so the occupation could take hold, and the squatters would pay fines without complaint.
On the darker side, some voices link the squatting to Bildu (a Basque political party) and speculate about mass graves in the buildings. These are extremely serious accusations that have not been verified, but they reflect the climate of tension surrounding the phenomenon.
The uncomfortable question remains: how long will the silent occupation of an industrial fabric that no longer produces anything be tolerated?
In Vitoria, an abandoned factory from the 1980s has become home to more than a hundred people. They are not waiting for a rental contract, but for their paperwork; in the meantime, they survive with Red Cross cards to buy groceries. The phenomenon is not unique to the capital of Álava: occupied buildings have also been reported in San Sebastián and Herrera, and the trend has now spread to restaurants, as Telemadrid has reported.
The issue has sparked a debate about the limits of squatting. Some speak of a coordinated plan to create chaos, with phases that would culminate in the imposition of a new order. Others mock the squatters: they don't even know how to sweep, goes the harshest joke. But there are also concrete complaints: the owners allegedly removed access points so the occupation could take hold, and the squatters would pay fines without complaint.
On the darker side, some voices link the squatting to Bildu (a Basque political party) and speculate about mass graves in the buildings. These are extremely serious accusations that have not been verified, but they reflect the climate of tension surrounding the phenomenon.
The uncomfortable question remains: how long will the silent occupation of an industrial fabric that no longer produces anything be tolerated?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (18 replies).
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