Police in Catalonia carried out court-ordered evictions on Wednesday to empty an abandoned school building north of Barcelona that had been occupied by hundreds of mostly undocumented migrants.
Anticipating the eviction during the winter months, the majority of those living in the squat had already left in search of alternative shelter before officers in riot gear from Catalonia’s regional police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, entered the premises early in the morning.
Although the operation was completed without any outbreaks of violence, tensions flared at times as people who were losing their homes were required to pass by armed police officers.
The occupied building was located in Badalona, a working-class city on the outskirts of Barcelona. Since the school was abandoned in 2023, it had been taken over by large numbers of sub-Saharan migrants, primarily from Senegal and Gambia.
Badalona’s mayor, Xavier García Albiol, confirmed the start of the evictions in a post on X. ‘As I had promised, the eviction of the squat of 400 illegal squatters in the B9 school in Badalona begins,’ he wrote.
Under the judicial ruling, the Badalona town hall is required to grant those evicted access to social services. However, the order does not compel local authorities to provide housing for all those displaced.
Marta Llonch, a lawyer representing the squatters, warned that many would be left without shelter during the cold months, according to an Associated Press report. ‘Just because you evict these people it doesn’t mean they disappear. If you don’t give them an alternative place to live they will now be on the street, which will be a problem for them and the city,’ she said.
Many residents of the squat survived by collecting and selling scrap metal from the streets. Others held valid residency and work permits but were unable to afford accommodation amid a cost-of-living crisis that has made buying or renting homes increasingly difficult, even for working Spaniards. The housing shortage has fueled widespread public frustration and protests. ALSO READ: Spain to spend €1.3 billion on ‘industrial construction of social housing’.
As they departed the building, people packed their belongings onto carts, some of them hitched to bicycles, to transport what they could carry.
According to El País newspaper, the Badalona town hall plans to offer temporary accommodation to around 30 individuals. Catalonia’s regional social services are also assisting another 60 people and may provide temporary housing for them as well, reports said.
García Albiol, a member of the right-wing People’s Party (PP), has long positioned himself politically around a tough stance on immigration during his tenure as Badalona’s mayor.
City officials have argued that the squat posed a serious safety risk. In 2020, a fire broke out in an abandoned factory in Badalona that was housing around 100 migrants, killing four people. ALSO READ: At least 4 people now confirmed to have died after fire at Badalona warehouse.
Spain, like other southern European nations, has experienced a steady flow of migrants for more than a decade, many of whom risk dangerous sea crossings across the Mediterranean or Atlantic. ALSO READ: More than 10,450 migrants died in 2024 trying to reach Spain by sea.
While numerous developed countries have adopted stricter migration policies, Spain’s left-leaning government has maintained that legal migration has contributed positively to the country’s economic growth. ALSO READ: ‘We owe a lot to them’ – Sánchez hails benefits of ‘safe, orderly, regular migration’.
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Comencen a sortir els ocupants del B9 de #Badalona després de l’entrada dels agents policials pic.twitter.com/ockKZxkQFG
— Badalona Comunicació (@bdncom) December 17, 2025
🔴 Dije que echaríamos a los 400 okupas ilegales que hacían la vida imposible a los vecinos, y lo hemos hecho. #Badalona no es un refugio para la ilegalidad ni para comportamientos conflictivos que perjudican a quienes cumplen la ley y quieren vivir tranquilos. pic.twitter.com/fFZFl8Pz2O
— Xavier García Albiol (@Albiol_XG) December 17, 2025
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