Skip to content or view screen version

Legendary occupied social centre evicted in Pamplona, Navarra, Spain

Euskal Herria Indymedia | 19.08.2004 22:02 | Free Spaces | Repression | World

Euskal Jai is the famous Squat of Pamplona's old part,
where, during 10 years, lots of projects went on.

It is now being evicted. Read the cronicle.

EUSKAL JAI SQUAT EVICTION CHRONICLE

August 16

Early in the morning 3 different police forces arrived in the door of the squat with a demolition machine that tries to break down the main door.

Over 50 people resist inside.

More demolishing machinery is in the way. Some people lie down to avoid the machinery arriving to the squat and police charges against them. Other people demonstrate against the eviction, more charges with rubber bullets and arrests.

After breaking the door the demolition starts with the people still inside the building.

There is no legal order for demolition. Furthermore, inside the squat there is the 2nd oldest basque ball court in the world, restored by the squatters and fit for games since then. In a few years the court would be 100 years old and therefore officially declared a historic monument.

The buildings next to the squat are trembling as a result of the demolition work and neighbours are really worried.

Police forces and Town Hall reject any dialogue with Squat representatives and lawyers.

After breaking the door the police gets into the squat and starts arresting people. People have chained theirselves (tubed) so it goes slowly. The police is extremely harsh, they even threaten to rape one of the squatter girls.

Other policemen play football in the squat and break all the flowers in the garden.

A police woman that has been infiltered during the last weeks in the squat is now sorting the arrested people according to their "responsibility".

Some people resist in the structure of the roof. In spite of that the
demoliton work goes on, with severe danger for them.

The police tries to take them down them with great danger and no success.

During all day there are several spontaneous demonstrations in the old part of the city. More than 50 people are arrested, some of them injured.

Police is extremely violent, they charge brutally against everything and everyone: people that went to ask about the arrested people, lawyers, the mothers of some of the squatters and even cars that toot...

Police breaks into the cathedral and arrest demonstrators refuged in there.

The support from the neighbours is great, they take part in demonstrations and protests, make noise in their balconies with pans and kettles, lots of them open their doors so young demonstrator can get refuge from police charges.

August 17

6 people remain in the roof while demolition goes on. During the night
barricades have been on fire.

Some 2000 people in party mood defend the squat in the streets.
Neighbour association protests against the policial terror and try to meet politic responsibles but police charges against them too.
The 6 people in the roof remain all day there even if their food and drink has been taken by the police. They are attacked during all night so they cannot sleep. Policemen throw stones and rubber bullets and use gases against them.

August 18
In the morning the police takess down the six resisters. Afterwards some policelmen stay in the roof armed to avoid more people climbing up there.

Other policemen paint VIVA ESPANA in the squat, as a provocation to basque people. In the meantime a party-batucada demonstration is charged against in the Old part.

Neighbours insists in their protests with pans and kettles and policemen charge against the ir balconies.

The police is terrorising the citizens, they charge inside bars against people that are drinking, eating, a man that was in a bar is taken to the hospital with a broken arm .

August 19
3 people try to climb to the roof of the squat, police shoot rubber bullets at them and one falls from 2 meters but manages to escape afterwards.

Right now the squat is almost completely demolished. A demonstration is called for saturday.

Euskal Herria Indymedia