Squatters with degrees removed from village in Salamanca, Spain
Spain's Guardia Civil escorts squatters with university degrees out of a village in Salamanca and the video goes viral. Eviction or protection?
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Guardia Civil escorts group of squatters with degrees out of a village in Salamanca
Controversy has erupted in a municipality in Salamanca province after a video showed the Guardia Civil (Spain's military police force) escorting a group of squatters — apparently university graduates — out of the village. The footage, circulating since early morning, does not make clear whether this was a formal eviction or a protective measure amid a tense atmosphere.
Two readings of the eviction
The most widespread version sees the scene as a simple forced move: the officers take the squatters from one point to another, and they, somewhere between stoic and resigned, accept it. Some point out that the video's title promised an expulsion carried out by the village and ends with the Benemérita (a popular nickname for the Guardia Civil) doing the job. Others suggest the officers were not throwing anyone out, but protecting the occupants from the wrath of some residents, fed up with living alongside them. In that case, the state would be fulfilling its role as a shield, even for those without a rental contract.
It remains to be seen what will become of these squatters with degrees. Some say they have opted for a big city; others, that they have moved to another village. The only certainty is that the Guardia Civil has once again shown that it also does improvised moving jobs. And the doubt remains: was this the best way to resolve the squatting?
Controversy has erupted in a municipality in Salamanca province after a video showed the Guardia Civil (Spain's military police force) escorting a group of squatters — apparently university graduates — out of the village. The footage, circulating since early morning, does not make clear whether this was a formal eviction or a protective measure amid a tense atmosphere.
Two readings of the eviction
The most widespread version sees the scene as a simple forced move: the officers take the squatters from one point to another, and they, somewhere between stoic and resigned, accept it. Some point out that the video's title promised an expulsion carried out by the village and ends with the Benemérita (a popular nickname for the Guardia Civil) doing the job. Others suggest the officers were not throwing anyone out, but protecting the occupants from the wrath of some residents, fed up with living alongside them. In that case, the state would be fulfilling its role as a shield, even for those without a rental contract.
It remains to be seen what will become of these squatters with degrees. Some say they have opted for a big city; others, that they have moved to another village. The only certainty is that the Guardia Civil has once again shown that it also does improvised moving jobs. And the doubt remains: was this the best way to resolve the squatting?
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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 (12 replies).
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