Denounce lies and irregularities in the eviction process of the old Palma prison

PalmThe coordinated groups defending the residents of the old Palma prison have denounced this Friday the City Council’s “lies” regarding the process of repossession of the building and have demanded “real alternatives” for the people living there. The entities have issued a joint statement after some residents received notification on Wednesday of the dismissal of the allegations filed against the eviction.

As they explain, the council has granted a period of five working days, until Wednesday, May 13, for them to “voluntarily” leave the premises. The groups, however, question this voluntary nature. “Without options, there can be no will,” they assert, and they denounce that the only alternative offered to those affected is “to go live on the street,” an act that, they claim, violates the right to housing.

The entities also reject that any eviction can be carried out next Monday, May 11, as —they assure— has been hinted at by the City Council. They argue that the deadline to leave the space will not have yet expired and that the administrative route remains open. In this regard, they recall that residents can still file a recourse of appeal and, subsequently, an administrative contentious recourse. The groups emphasize that among the affected people are asylum seekers, people in extreme vulnerability, and former foster care youths who, upon reaching the age of majority, were left without housing.

The statement also criticizes the statements made by the mayor of Palma about a supposed housing alternative. As they denounce, “no real alternative has been offered” to the residents, and they assure that they have not received any document with specific information about possible residential resources. “A stay of a few days in a hostel is not an alternative,” they add. Furthermore, they question the data provided by the council on the cost of the access control device to the area. According to the City Council, this amounts to 4,100 euros daily, a figure that, according to the groups, would demonstrate that “the institutions have resources,” but that these are allocated to “militarizing the area” instead of seeking housing solutions.

Finally, the entities accuse the City Council of disseminating “false and unfounded claims” about a supposed hantavirus infection outbreak in the old prison. According to their complaints, these statements aim to “manipulate public opinion, dismantle solidarity, and dehumanize the people who live there”. The groups demand “realistic and fair” alternatives for the residents and claim that the Police should stop pressuring them to leave the premises “in the purest desokupa style”. They also ask for “clear and necessary” legal information to be guaranteed about their administrative situation.