Palma takes to the streets against evictions in the midst of the housing crisis

PalmaThe housing crisis has returned to the streets this Sunday in Palma. Around a hundred people have gathered to denounce the situation of families living under threat of eviction and to protest against what the Platform of People Affected by Mortgages of Mallorca considers a "social cleansing".

The mobilization, called by the PAH and with the support of parties, entities, and unions, was held under the slogan "Housing costs us our lives". The protest comes after the eviction of the old prison in Palma, where the entity assures that more than 200 people resided, and with the focus now on Son Bordoy.

The spokesperson for the PAH, Àngela Pons, denounced during the reading of the manifesto that the lack of affordable housing is expelling many people from the city. "They are stealing our city, they are expelling us from our homes, and they are stealing our lives," she stated.

The entity has lashed out at Palma City Council and the Government, accusing them of not providing a real response to the housing emergency. The PAH calls for more social housing, measures to curb rising rents, and dignified alternatives for people who are evicted.

One of the central points of the protest has been Son Bordoy, land where about 180 people have been living for decades. Several resident families have participated and shown photographs of their homes to argue that they do not live in substandard housing, but in homes they consider adequate.

According to the PAH, a possible eviction would leave working families, the elderly, children, and vulnerable neighbors without alternatives. The entity accuses the City Council of wanting to "hide poverty" instead of confronting the causes of the housing crisis.

The situation of the people evicted from the old prison has also been present in the protest. The PAH assures that many have ended up living on the street and criticizes that, in addition to not receiving a housing solution, they could be fined for sleeping in public spaces.

The decision on the possible eviction of several families from Son Bordoy could come on Tuesday, as part of a procedure initiated by the developer Pryconsa. The PAH argues that part of the land where these families live corresponds to arable land and that, with the current planning, it could not be used for housing construction.