Authorities in northeastern Spain executed a court-ordered eviction on Wednesday to clear an abandoned school building in Badalona that had been occupied by approximately 400 undocumented migrants. The operation, carried out by Catalonia’s regional police in riot gear, targeted the facility that had become an informal settlement for predominantly sub-Saharan migrants from Senegal and Gambia since its abandonment in 2023.
Most occupants had vacated the premises anticipating the enforcement action, leaving the structure largely empty when officials arrived. Badalona Mayor Xavier García Albiol, known for his conservative anti-immigration stance, announced the operation via social media, characterizing it as fulfillment of his promise to address what the town hall deemed a public safety hazard.
The evacuation highlights Spain’s ongoing challenges with migration and housing accessibility. Legal representative Marta Llonch, advocating for the displaced residents, revealed that many survived through informal scrap metal collection while others held legal residency but couldn’t secure affordable housing. Llonch warned that without alternative accommodation solutions, the eviction would simply transfer the humanitarian crisis to public spaces, creating new challenges for both the individuals and municipality.
This incident echoes a 2020 tragedy in Badalona when a fire at another migrant-occupied factory resulted in four fatalities. Spain’s position on migration remains distinctive among Mediterranean nations, with the current left-wing government acknowledging migration’s contribution to economic growth despite increasing anti-immigration sentiments across Europe.