Court activates countdown to clear former jail with 206 registered residents

PalmThe Palma City Council has begun delivering eviction notices to the 206 people currently residing in the former Ciutat prison, a decision adopted at an extraordinary Governing Board meeting held this Friday. This step opens a five-day period for the occupants to submit appeals, in a process that has already drawn criticism from social organizations, such as the Platform of People Affected by Mortgages (PAH), and opposition groups who warn of a possible violation of fundamental rights.

Once this procedure is completed, the City Council plans to issue the order that would require the eviction of the premises within a maximum of four days, with the aim of developing a roundabout and promoting a residential project. If there are people who do not leave the property voluntarily, the City Council will request the necessary judicial authorization to carry out their eviction.

Most are men

This Friday, a Local Security Board meeting was also held, during which the results of the census conducted in recent days were presented, following the implementation of access controls to the site. According to this data, 206 people reside inside the former prison: approximately 80% are men, and the majority are between 23 and 35 years old. No minors were detected, although the data still needs to be verified with the National Police database.

Around 70% of those identified are of North African origin, followed by 15% Spaniards and 10% Colombians. The remainder come from other Latin American countries, although this data must also be verified with the National Police. In addition to these 206 people, there are another 60 who reside irregularly in the housing of the former prison complex and who were not included in the census, as their eviction will take place in a separate phase.

Access Control

Regarding the access control implemented on Wednesday at the entrance to the former prison, the mayor reiterated that it will remain in place until the entire site is vacated. He also requested the support of the National Police to reinforce security and surveillance in the surrounding areas, with the aim of continuing to guarantee safety both inside the building and in the surrounding environment.

In parallel, the meeting detailed the social support measures activated by the City Council. In this regard, Social Services has contacted the Mallorcan Institute of Social Affairs (IMAS), the Regional Ministry of Social Affairs, the Balearic Housing Institute (Ibavi), the Diocese of Mallorca, the Mater organization, and the Red Cross, with the aim of identifying available resources and coordinating alternative care options. They have also initiated a census to establish a channel between the City Council and social organizations that wish to make their resources available. Regarding jurisdiction, the mayor reiterated his appeal to the Government Delegation to implement any measures within its power, noting that, according to previous municipal censuses, 65% of the people currently residing inside the former prison were in an irregular administrative situation, data that will also be reviewed.

The Delegation has also been asked to provide information on possible illicit activities within the premises, to make progress in identifying those individuals who do not yet have immigration records, and to initiate the corresponding procedures.

The Delegation has also been asked to assess the need for residential resources for these individuals.

Extraordinary Governing Board Meeting

Subsequently, at approximately 2:00 p.m., an extraordinary Governing Board meeting was held, where the necessary administrative step was taken to formally initiate the procedure for the recovery of possession, once the actual census of the people who occupy the property irregularly was obtained.

Thus, after submitting the initial identification of the occupants to the Governing Board, notification will be issued starting this Friday of the opening of a five-day period for submitting appeals.

Once the appeals period has ended, an agreement will be issued requiring the 206 people residing in the section of the former prison to cease their occupation within a maximum of four days. Should they not vacate voluntarily, the corresponding judicial authorization will be requested.

Actions at the former Palma prison

In the meetings, the mayor listed the various actions carried out since the beginning of his term at this municipally owned site. On the one hand, Palma Firefighters carried out a total of 16 operations in 2024, which rose to 49 in 2025, and so far this year they have carried out 12 more interventions. Likewise, the Local Police have carried out 263 operations since the beginning of his term, 143 of which exceeded the force's usual responsibilities. In addition, there were another 71 operations carried out in the adjacent streets, outside the site.

For its part, Social Services has repeatedly offered the full range of municipal services to the building's residents, an offer it is making again within the framework of the current repossession process, with the aim of guaranteeing social assistance and support during this transition. Although the space has been occupied for years, the activation of the current process is a response to the increase in incidents recorded inside and around the building, especially the fires last weekend, one of which required the rescue of four people. "Increased conflict"

Cort says that this "increase in conflict," along with recent reports issued by the Local Police and Firefighters warning of the existing risk, has motivated the implementation of the current procedure for the recovery of possession, given "the urgency of the situation and the need to guarantee the integrity" of the occupants and public safety in general, always within the legal framework.