Police evict squatters in Barcelona after hours of tension
Seven arrested in squat houses that had been occupied since 2016 and 2019
Catalan police evicted squatters from El Kubo and La Ruïna on Thursday, two houses that had been occupied since 2016 and 2019, located in Barcelona's wealthy Bonanova neighborhood.
Mossos d'Esquadra officers arrived in the area at around 6 am and carried out a large operation to evict the squatters, which lasted five hours.
The police had already anticipated that the squatters would resist and that the eviction would take a long time. Streets adjacent to the occupied buildings were closed to traffic and the area was cordoned off by riot police.
At around 8 am, the police successfully entered El Kubo and La Ruïna and gained access to the upper floors.
The occupants of both buildings put up fierce resistance, throwing flammable liquids, sacks of rubble, firecrackers, and smoke canisters at the officers.
To protect themselves from objects thrown by the occupiers, the officers used a type of metal cage.
Mossos arrested seven people in the buildings, three in La Ruïna and four in El Kubo.
The operation took longer than expected because one of the occupiers was hanging by a rope from the facade of El Kubo. Three others were also on the roof of La Ruïna.
The police removed them with a crane at around 11 am, when the operation was considered over after five hours of tension.
El Kubo and La Ruïna are owned by Sareb, Spain's 'bad bank', and while residents were originally scheduled to be evicted in March, the eviction was postponed until November 30.
Catalan Interior Minister Joan Ignasi Elena said the operation had been "successful and without notable incidents" as he congratulated police officers on the ground.
The mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, said the Mossos "acted with professionalism and respect, guaranteeing the protection and safety of citizens at all times." He thanked the police and fire service for their efforts.
The police will now comply with the court order and return the property to its owner after securing the two buildings to prevent reoccupation.
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