The 2026 Patum festival marked the last celebration for Casal Panxo at its historic Berga venue. The property owners, where the center had been active for 17 years, notified them of the lease termination with a June 15 deadline. Surprise and indignation arose upon discovering that the space will now be occupied by Aliança Catalana as its headquarters in the capital of Berguedà.
Sílvia Orriols, president of Aliança Catalana and mayor of Ripoll, shared a photograph on social media of the building's facade, which still bears a painted fist symbol, now topped with the party's sign. Orriols accompanied the image with a defiant message: "We have snatched Casal Panxo from you, and we will snatch the mayoralty! Now, boo me."
These words refer to the boos Orriols received during the Patum, when she was invited to the City Hall balcony by councilwoman Judit Vinyes of Berga Grup Independent (BeGI). Vinyes, who has announced her candidacy for mayor of Berga with Aliança Catalana, was photographed at the entrance of the premises that until recently represented the pro-independence left in the region.
The Casal Panxo assembly denounces that real estate speculation, not Aliança Catalana, is the cause of their eviction from the Barri Vell. They label the far-right party's move as "yet another attempt at low-level political marketing" and accuse it of "inciting tension."
Entities such as the CUP and Arran, along with other groups, have expressed their support for Casal Panxo, considered a benchmark for the pro-independence movement in the Catalan Countries. This morning, the disputed premises appeared with its sign completely covered in black spray paint and with various graffiti on the facade.
