The Catalan Church has expressed deep concern over the lack of housing alternatives for the approximately two hundred people evicted from the former B9 institute, considered the largest settlement in Catalonia. After Cardinal Joan Josep Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona, called for a solution to the "drama" of homelessness during the police operation, the CET bishops joined the demand with a statement issued this Thursday.
“"We reject narratives that dehumanize them for being African, black, and poor immigrants. That is aporophobia and xenophobia."
The Tarraconense bishops harshly criticized that "hundreds of people have been left on the street, in the middle of winter, without even considering a 'winter truce' as is done in other European countries." Although the judicial authorization required following the assistance protocol, this was limited to an agreement with the Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB) allowing the Centre d'Urgències i Emergències Socials de Barcelona (CUESB) to shelter some people. However, the CUESB did not apply the protocol, as the eviction was a planned action and not a "case of sudden urgency or emergency."
“"Either we find a solution together, or the ship will sink."
The CET proposes that competent administrations and third-sector entities establish a dialogue table involving representatives of those affected to find a coordinated short and medium-term response. They also demand progress on the "homelessness law that has been slowly processed for months." For its part, Cáritas Barcelona, through its director Eduard Sala, called for "pacts" and "funding" to address this reality, warning that otherwise, "it will be very expensive."
