The major police operation began early on Wednesday at the former B9 Institute, which had been the largest migrant settlement in Catalonia for the past two years. Although half of the occupants had left voluntarily, the Mossos d'Esquadra found about 80 people inside. During protests outside, clashes occurred with the police, resulting in 18 arrests by the Spanish National Police under the Immigration Law and over 180 identifications.
The mayor of Badalona, Xavier Garcia Albiol, justified the action but refused to offer accommodation to the evicted, except for about fifteen people already in social programs, shifting responsibility to Pedro Sánchez's central government.
“"Pedro Sánchez and his partners say that we must welcome everyone without any control. Well, now it is up to him to find them housing."
The Spanish government delegate in Catalonia, Carlos Prieto, called Albiol's attitude deplorable, criticizing him for not knowing his own social services obligations. The judge had authorized the eviction on December 5, citing reports on the risk of fire, insalubrity, and a tuberculosis outbreak that had affected ten people.
“"We haven't been able to sleep, we don't have family here, who should we ask for help? They are throwing me out of the only roof I have, where will we go?"
The goal of the Badalona City Council is to demolish the building to construct a Guàrdia Urbana police station. Meanwhile, nearly a hundred evicted individuals spent the night outdoors in the square near the Sant Roc neighborhood, as only a small fraction received residential assistance.
