Last Wednesday, the Police evicted the squatted social center (CSO) without prior notice. The Watchtowerin the Madrid neighborhood of Vallecas. The center, which had been active for a decade, had previously suffered eviction attempts, from which it emerged successfully. On this occasion, however, the agents went to the center without notice from the court.
The news came through X (formerly Twitter), when the account of another social center, The Villainess of Vallekas (@lavillanavk) posted a video showing several troops entering La Atalaya. As the Police later confirmed to Europa Press, the operation included dozens of police officers, around twenty vans, and the presence of Riot Police.
The eviction took place without violence, despite the fact that there were tensions during the device. The Platform for People Affected by Mortgage (PAH) of Vallekas account to Public that “a aggressive and tense devicemaking identifications without justification, not allowing us to come close to negotiate or take photos and, at first, reluctant to let us take out our things.
While the eviction was taking place, different associations made an appeal through networks, urging people to defend La Atalaya. A protest in front of the Madrid Assemblywhich is located a few minutes from the social center. From the Villain of Vallekas inform that the delegation of Government did not authorize the demonstration “with the unsustainable excuse” that it had not been called 24 hours in advance, “but since it had already been called en masse”, the rally could begin. In it, slogans such as “10,100,1000 social centers” and “Vallekas is not for sale, Vallekas defends itself” were chanted. The protest took place without conflict.
The Atalaya, a “lung” for Vallecas
He CSO La Rosa defines these self-managed centers as “a lung for social movements”, being “one of the few free leisure spaces available to the working class in city neighborhoods.” They are also a place of political meeting and militancy, which welcome groups such as the Tenants’ Union. “Its bases are solidarity, cooperation and sharing“.
The Atalaya was crucial for Vallecas. Since, in 2014, the youth group Tinder decided to reform the Margerit de Vallecas public institute – abandoned in 2012 –, this social center has offered all types of social and cultural activities to the neighborhood residents. With the cooperation of different groups, the old institute was renovated and converted. Today, its many services included a climbing walla bicycle workshop, gym, library and recording studio. Its patio also stood out, hosting concerts, events and talks with feminist, anti-racist or anti-fascist content. “It is an enormous loss for the neighborhood and for the common spaces,” they lament from Villana de Vallekas.
And many of the activities that were carried out there were due to the characteristics of the facilities, such as the climbing wall or the track. skate. For this reason, representatives of the PAH see difficult to find other similar spaces where to continue with many of them. They also show their concern for the neighborhood childrensince for many, La Atalaya was the place where they enjoyed leisure. According to the PAH, with the closure of the center the little ones could experience a decline in school performanceat the same time as a reduction in free and open leisure spaces. Consequently, this makes it endure.”a system that keeps the poor poor“.
The Almeida Government, indicated
La Atalaya is not the first self-managed social center to be evicted, nor will it be the last. José Luis Martínez Almeidamayor of Madrid since 2019, already assured when he took power that the capital would be “a city free of squatters.” During these last five years of the legislature, The City Council wages a war against social centers. La Dragona and La Ingobernable in 2019, or the Casa del Cura in 2023, are some of the most popular. “They (the Almeida Government) know that in social centers they rehearse dynamics that differ greatly from those that interest political capitalism“, they explain from La Rosa.
Atalaya itself has already faced two other eviction attempts. The first, in 2016, ended without conviction for whoever appeared in the process. The second, in May 2022, ended with a sentence that, however, “came to nothing“recalls the PAH. However, the particular thing about this eviction is that the court did not send prior notice. La Rosa is categorical about this: “You have to report it and it must be said that it occurs in conditions of dubious legality”, but they warn that “it must also be clear that State and Capital do not always hesitate to break their own rules.”
The Social Housing Agency (AVS, formerly known as IVIMA), the legitimate owner of the La Atalaya facilities, has already announced that intends to build 60 social homesintended for families in vulnerable situations. However, the associations question these claims. La Rosa conveys his distrust that there is a social purpose behind the eviction of La Atalaya: “It seems unlikely that they are going to build social housing, but that they will do so.” It is not a guarantee either.seen what has been seen, that it is not for speculative purposes“.
The PAH, furthermore, sees this announcement of the construction of social housing as “a attempt to confront squatters (bad) with ‘vulnerable’ families (good). As if we weren’t the same people. As if the AVS did not evict us daily.” They point to the criminalization of squatting and liberated social centersand they blame the Government of the Community of Madrid, the Popular Party, and their housing policies, “characterized by speculation, the diversion of public funds to their friendly companies and the business they make of our poverty.”
They are also firm in stating that, from the day of the eviction, “we are going to see the consequences of the policies of the most progressive Government in history, reflected in rent increases, inability to access housingprecarious jobs and labor exploitation”.
As for the Future of The Watchtower is still uncertainalthough from La Rosa they trust that the solidarity network of associations will help them reorganize. “They are delicate processes in which it is better to act cold and not hot” explains the PAH. Even so, “currently in Vallekas there are no spaces that meet the same characteristics.” More than a hundred people benefited of the solidarity services of The Watchtower.
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