Following the eviction of the former B9 institute in Badalona, led by Mayor Xavier García Albiol, over 80 people continue living in tents under the C-31 bridge, exposed to the elements during Christmas. While some have been temporarily relocated by the Generalitat and social entities, uncertainty lingers for most, with family separations and a lack of stable solutions. The affected individuals reject short-term alternatives that fail to address their precarious situation.
Under the C-31 bridge, five minutes from Sant Roc station in Badalona (Barcelona), there is no time to think about Christmas. For a week now, the evicted residents of the former B9 institute, Catalonia's largest occupied settlement, have been sleeping outdoors in over 80 tents. The eviction, driven by Mayor Xavier García Albiol (PP), lacked a stable housing alternative for most.
It is the same spot where they took refuge after the Urban Guard prevented them from setting up in the square opposite the institute. Since Tuesday, some evicted individuals have begun to be relocated following an agreement between the Generalitat and various social entities to house about a hundred people. However, the destination remains uncertain: some have been sent by the Red Cross to spots in Lleida, Girona, or Tarragona, separated from family and acquaintances.
"They say it's temporary. Temporary for what? We're already on the street," summarizes Abdou Naser, a Nigerian man still sleeping under the viaduct.
During the day, volunteers from Cocineras por la Paz prepare breakfasts and receive donations of clothing, blankets, and food. On Christmas Eve, a high-ranking Mossos d’Esquadra official visited the area discreetly. The aid is appreciated, but the atmosphere is tense: many have not showered for over a week.
"We've gone a week without being able to shower," insists Abdou. Most fear that alternatives, like shelters for just a few days, will not exceed short periods. "The problem with these shelters is the time. They give us a week. They do the good deed and then, back to the street," he explains.
Sasha, a Ukrainian and former B9 resident, was moved to a temporary hostel in Malgrat de Mar. "I can leave my things there for a few days, but they've split us up," she says. Gema wonders: "I lived in the B9, but I work in Badalona. How can they move me to a place I don't even know where it is?"
During Christmas week, collectives maintain cooking shifts for hot meals. Abdou Naser pauses: "I hadn't realized... it's Christmas," he says, his eyes red from exhaustion.
