This decision, which implies a postponement until September, will allow for a dialogue process between Sareb and the Barcelona council to analyze the social function of the space. The eviction was originally scheduled for next Thursday, the 14th.
The Juan Andrés Benítez Ágora, a public plot occupied since 2014 in the Raval neighborhood, is managed by residents and entities, offering activities open to the public every afternoon and on weekends. This space was named in homage to a neighborhood resident who passed away in 2013.
Popular mobilization has been key to this suspension. Recently, a protest day was held with over a thousand people and a performance by musician Manu Chao. Furthermore, the Ágora's managing collective alerted the councilor for the Ciutat Vella district about the situation.
“"We requested Sareb to halt the eviction and open a dialogue to analyze and study the social function that the space may have."
A spokesperson for the Ágora highlighted the importance of this project in a neighborhood with a scarcity of green public space and a high population density. The space offers food for homeless people, features a green area and children's games, and hosts talks, workshops, and book presentations, always during daytime hours to respect neighborhood peace.
During the neighborhood's Public Hearing on April 30, the councilor stated that the City Council is debating whether the plot will be allocated for affordable housing or as equipment, but will continue to push for it to have a public use.
