The families were already warned and already had suitcases and backpacks prepared with their belongings | No incidents have been recorded
A block of 60 houses that were squatted by some 300 people -180 of them minors- has been evicted from early this Friday in the Madrid town of Alcobendas.
The building, located at number 26 Francisco Largo Caballero street, was completely squatted, according to municipal sources, which explained that, apparently, only the residents of two of the houses paid the rent.
National Police vans have arrived at the building since 6:30 a.m. and have begun to call the flats for the occupants to evict them. Families were already warned that the eviction was going to take place these days, so they already had prepared suitcases and backpacks with their belongings.
As EFE has been able to verify, in the vicinity of the building there are many neighbors, even with small children, and in some cases they rebuke the police when they come across them, although no incidents have been recorded noteworthy. To expedite the evictions, two blocks have been cut off to traffic and several Civil Protection units also remain in the place in case any incident had to be attended to; in fact, one of the evicted neighbors has suffered a fainting spell.
According to municipal sources and the people who occupied the property, among the inhabitants there were some 180 minors; the neighbors have explained that all the floors were inhabited since as soon as one was empty it was immediately squatted.
“Police violence”
The evicted have complained to EFE about the “police violence” with which the eviction has occurred, since they say that the agents have entered “by force” breaking doors and they have treated “like dogs”.
José Manuel Barroso, a lawyer for the property’s owners, explained to EFE that the building was for rental apartments.
Some of the evicted have expressed their sadness at having to leave their homes, which they say they want to pay but can’t because of the high price that is asked of them.