Barcelona: Statement of El Banc

WE WILL RETURN TO EL BANC

Yesterday, May 23th, El Banc Expropiat was evicted by the Catalan police, after more than 160 days of resistance (more than 100 during the first campaign, and 87 days this time). The first time, the City Hall secretly decided to pay over 65.000EUR to Manuel Bravo Solano, who owns the bank, in order to avoid another Can Vies before the municipal elections. After this shady deal was exposed, the City Hall justified itself saying that they believed that the Banc had an important “social” role. They then admitted that this rent was being paid to avoid breaking the social peace, because they knew that the eviction of El Banc would imply all sorts of responses. This is what finally happened yesterday. First of all, we would like to thank all the solidarity that we have received, a solidarity which has taken many different forms and that has also meant a form of support to all the other struggles which are currently taking place.
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Barcelona: El Banc Day 2 – Brief Re-occupation

cops stop reoccupationEphemeral re-squat before heavy police charges in a second night of protestscops stop reoccupation
On Tuesday evening a new series of demos converged on the evicted autonomous social center, the ‘Expropriated Bank’ in Barcelona’s Gracia barrio. A group of protesters opened the welded steel plates and re-occupied amid wild cheering, just before the Riot Police commenced a series of brutal charges, that resulted in 19 injured. Fresh demonstrations are called for tonight, Day 3.On the evening of Tuesday, May 24, there were demonstrations and rallies in several districts of Barcelona, in a second day of fighting the eviction from the freed space in Gràcia. Among others, there have been meet-ups in Sarrià, Sants, Raval and Manresa. A concentration in Sants of 200 people joined the group of protesters and continued towards the Gracia district.

In several streets of Gracia there were spontaneous pot and pan banging sessions by neighbours amid cries of rejection against the performance of the Catalan riot police
At Gracia, about 400 people concentrated in the Plaza of the Revolution and moved down the Torrent de l’Olla towards the ex Expropriated Bank anarchist social center. [Read More]

Barcelona: 15 injured in riots against eviction of the expropriated bank

seeding mutual aidThe ‘Expropriated Bank’, a self-managed occupied social center in the beautiful Gracia barrio of Barcelona, has finally fallen. Symbol of resistance to repression and austerity , colleagues called for the occupation of 1000 more banks.

Seeding Mutual Aid against Capitalism

The eviction was not an easy task, it took police more than eight hours, using metal cutters, etc., to extricate the last heroes. The police struggled all day to get them out of a barrel of cement, itself inside a safe, inside the basement with metal barricades.

Meanwhile, reinforcements gathered and marched from several pre-organized points in the city until by 9.00 pm at least 2000 filled the narrow streets, but the entire front of the Bank had been welded shut with iron plates.

An army of very aggressive riot police, masked and without ID plates and with a helicopter, moved into the crowds of young people. Only for good luck no one was killed. [Read More]

Barcelona: El Banc Expropriat evicted

Today El Banc Expropriat in Gracia, Barcelona, has been evicted, in an operation lasting ten hours. A demonstration has been called for tonight.

Barcelona: El Banc Expropiat de Gràcia resists!

After the botched eviction of Can Vies in late May, squatters have been preparing for the new offensive of the Catalan state. The riots that now taking place show how the new forms of occupation that are emerging in Barcelona in response to the austerity crisis have managed to gather massive popular support.
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Eviction Delayed Again: The Expropriated Bank, Barcelona

The ‘Expropriated Bank’ is one of 7 occupied social centers in  ex banks in and around Barcelona.  Though long overdue for eviction the State has hesitated, perhaps a bit nervous after failing to evict Can Vies last year due to huge solidarity.

Maybe they don’t want to coincide with widespread public anger at the jailing of 7 activists for being anarchists.  (Mass Demos vs. Gag law and Arrest of Anarchists)

Perhaps they wish to avoid more opposition to their corrupt banks which have presided over the eviction of up to half a million people to balance their crooked books.

Whatever the reason the ‘Expropriated Bank’ in Gracia barrio is still going strong. Here’s a translation of their latest communiqué…..

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Spain: Cops arrest 11, raid anarchist Social Centres. 16+ solidarity demos already

 [Barcelona-Madrid] Operation of the High Court against the Catalan and Spanish libertarian movement  (in Catalan below) pre riot strolling#OperacionPandora to criminalise anarchist social movements.

b49amiliiaax_3t.jpg-large_0    [Barcelona-Madrid] #OperacionPandora by the neo fascist PP controlled High Court against the Catalan and Spanish libertarian movement

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Riots in Barcelona after Can Vies eviction

DAY ONE

[Days two and three below]

On Monday, May 26, police from the Mossos d’Escuadra evicted the 17-year-old squatted social center Can Vies, starting at the atypically late hour of noon, perhaps due to heavy morning rains. Can Vies had an open eviction date, but the choice of day was to be expected as Sunday was elections for the European Parliament (which, incidentally, saw a sharp increase in the presence of far right and far left parties). The party in power never wants to start unpredictable conflicts in the weeks before an election, and the day after an election, the media is full of related news.

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Barcelona: ”Let’s Squat 1000 more Banks.. ”

The 3rd time lucky ? There’s a new eviction lawsuit against the Expropriated Bank, which is one of the most active Occupied Social centers in Barcelona, with dozens of varied activities every week.
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Barcelona: The Expropriated Bank in Gracia in danger of eviction

A few days ago, we received a letter from the court summoning us to a civil trial against the Expropriated Bank in the Gracia hood of Barcelona. We did not know that there was a civil process opened against our space (Banc Expropiat de Gràcia), and so we did not expect this letter. The oral hearing will take place next Tuesday, June 11th — that is, in less than two weeks.
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