Riot police in northeastern Spain have forcibly removed hundreds of predominantly undocumented migrants from an occupied, derelict school building. The large-scale eviction in the city of Badalona, which borders Barcelona, began in the early hours of Wednesday 17 December 2025 following a court order.
Operation and Official Justification
The operation was carried out by officers from Catalonia's regional police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, who were equipped in full riot gear. Badalona's mayor, Xavier García Albiol of the conservative Popular Party, confirmed the action on social media platform X. He stated, "As I had promised, the eviction of the squat of 400 illegal squatters in the B9 school in Badalona begins."
The local town hall had successfully argued that the makeshift living quarters presented a significant public safety hazard. This concern was amplified by a tragic precedent in 2020, when a fire at an occupied old factory in the same city resulted in the deaths of four migrants.
Profile of the Occupants and Immediate Fallout
The B9 school had been abandoned since 2023 and had become home to a large group of sub-Saharan migrants, many originating from Senegal and The Gambia. According to Marta Llonch, a lawyer representing the squatters, numerous residents survived by collecting and selling scrap metal.
Llonch also revealed that some individuals held valid residency and work permits but were forced into the squat due to the severe lack of affordable housing in the area. She warned of dire immediate consequences, telling The Associated Press, "Many people are going to sleep on the street tonight. Just because you evict these people it doesn’t mean they disappear."
She added, "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." Reports indicate that many occupants had already left the building prior to the police operation, anticipating the eviction.
Broader Context of Migration in Spain
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Spain and other southern European nations regarding migration. For over a decade, the country has experienced a steady influx of migrants undertaking perilous journeys across the Mediterranean and Atlantic in small, often unseaworthy, boats.
While numerous developed nations have adopted stringent anti-migration policies, Spain's current left-wing government has maintained that legal migration is a net positive for the nation's economic growth. The eviction in Badalona, led by a mayor known for his anti-immigration stance, underscores the deep political and social divisions the issue continues to provoke.
