Late last year, the Badalona City Council, led by PP Mayor Xavier García Albiol, proceeded with the eviction of approximately 400 people who were living in an abandoned institute. This action was carried out without the council offering any alternative accommodation to those affected, many of whom were highly vulnerable, coinciding with forecasts of heavy rain and cold weather.

The lack of institutional response was quickly offset by a massive public mobilization. Citizens, organizations, and political parties gathered at the C-31 bridge, which served as a makeshift shelter, to provide blankets, warm clothing, food, and hot drinks to the evicted individuals. A support network also offered private premises and homes to try and alleviate the emergency situation.

The controversy intensified when a priest from the Mare de Déu de Badalona parish proposed temporarily sheltering the most vulnerable homeless people in the church. This initiative was thwarted by a protest of about 200 people who blocked the entry of materials and beds, highlighting a deep social division regarding the provision of shelter.

This episode occurs within a context of growing precariousness in the city, exacerbated by the closure of the Can Bofí Vell shelter on April 29, 2024, which accommodated 45 people. The severity of the situation became evident when, during the Three Kings night celebrations, a homeless person died due to the cold wave. It is estimated that over 300 people currently sleep rough in Badalona.

In contrast to the events in Badalona, the Santa Anna parish in Barcelona has kept its temple open to shelter homeless people during the Christmas period, from Christmas Eve until January 7. Its rector, Peio Sánchez, coordinates the accommodation of up to 15 vulnerable individuals and serves daily meals to nearly 300 diners.