Public pressure halts eviction of Barcelona tenant in Gràcia district

Hundreds of protesters and government opposition stop the removal of a resident from a building owned by an investment fund.

Generic image of a neighborhood gathering in front of a residential building during a housing rights protest.
IA

Generic image of a neighborhood gathering in front of a residential building during a housing rights protest.

Hundreds of citizens gathered this Tuesday on Sant Agustí street in Barcelona to successfully block the eviction of Txema Escorsa from his long-term home.

The judicial commission postponed the procedure until April 15th citing security concerns. The building was purchased in 2023 by New Amsterdam Developers (NAS), which has been accused of illegally converting traditional apartments into expensive coliving spaces.

"This block has been a trench; if we stopped the eviction, it was because of the people and the Tenants Union."

Txema Escorsa · Affected tenant
Catalan President Salvador Illa publicly condemned the eviction, stating that abusive actions against residents' rights will not be tolerated. Barcelona City Council has already issued six fines against the owner for unauthorized renovations and regulatory violations.