Police have the Born terraces removed for fear of "sabotage" during the neighborhood al fresco dinner
Cort distances itself from the measure and attributes the order to remove furniture from establishments to the agents, who justify it by the incidents after the demonstration of July 26
The terraces on the passeig del Born will have to disappear this Wednesday afternoon due to the risk that Brunzzit's last al fresco dinner could lead, according to the National Police, to acts of "coercion, sabotage or direct confrontation" against hospitality establishments. The citizens' collective had called for a walk and a dinner on the promenade benches to reclaim a space they consider to be progressively occupied by the terraces. Brunzzit has rejected the police suspicions and has denounced that the intention is to "criminalize" an initiative that has always been carried out without incident until now.
The Palma City Council has wanted to make it clear that the removal of the furniture is not a political decision by the government team. Cort attributes the order to a preventive measure communicated by the National Police in response to an act authorized by the Spanish Government Delegation in the Balearic Islands.
The Provincial Information Brigade considers it "essential and decisive" to remove all non-fixed furniture from the establishments on the Born to avoid public order disturbances, vandalism or riots. The measure specifically affects the terraces against which, according to the police interpretation, the protest could be directed.
The precedent of the July demonstration
The Police base the risk on the incidents that occurred on July 26, once the massive demonstration against overtourism called by Menys Turisme, Més Vida had ended. That day there were police charges and moments of tension in El Born.
According to the police report released by Cort, some protesters heckled clients and workers of establishments and the incidents forced some users to hastily abandon the terraces. Based on this precedent, the Police consider that the call for this Wednesday could generate new confrontations.
The agents also interpret the slogan of 'liberation of public space' with which Brunzzit has presented the meeting as a risk factor. According to the Information Brigade, this objective could indicate that the act is 'aimed at carrying out actions directed against terraces and marquees installed on public roads' and 'exponentially' increases the possibility of sabotage or coercion.
This forecast contrasts with the development of outdoor dinners organized throughout the summer in different parts of Palma, which have so far taken place without incident.
Brunzzit denounces the 'criminalization' of the dinners
Brunzzit has rejected the suspicions of the National Police and has defended that there is no precedent that allows predicting vandalism or disturbances during the call. The collective has recalled that all outdoor dinners organized since last summer have been developed "without disputes or any kind of incident".
The organizers have claimed the "demanding, community and recreational" nature of meetings that have taken place in different areas of Palma marked by a strong tourist presence. "We have never given any reason to criminalize this initiative. This will continue to be the case," they remarked on social networks.
Restaurateurs estimate losses of up to 30,000 euros
The president of CAEB Restauració Mallorca and owner of a restaurant in El Born, Juanmi Ferrer, has rejected the order to remove the terraces and estimates that establishments could collectively lose between 20,000 and 30,000 euros this Wednesday evening.
Ferrer considers that dining outdoors is "completely compatible" with maintaining terraces and business activity. He also expressed conviction that no incident or uncivil behavior would have occurred against the establishments' customers.
In accordance with the order communicated by the National Police, the terraces will have to start being dismantled from 7:30 p.m. onwards. This will force restaurants to limit service to indoor spaces and, according to Ferrer, some may have to close for a few hours, in the final stretch of an August he has described as "decaffeinated", as reported by Europa Press.
The representative of the employers' association has also criticized what he considers a "senseless" confrontation between the Palma City Council, the National Police and the Spanish government's delegation.
A walk with the godparents
Brunzzit has called on citizens to the Born with the proposal to recover the traditional use of the promenade. The collective recalls that it had been a place for family gatherings, celebrations, and meetings for the young people of the City, but denounces that it is currently covered with terraces.
According to the organizers, businesses occupy about 130 square meters of the promenade with tables and chairs intended for a clientele capable of paying prices they consider unaffordable for the average worker in Mallorca.
To emphasize the intergenerational nature of the call, Brunzzit has invited participants to attend with their godparents and other relatives. The collective had announced that, initially, they would not set up tables or chairs, but would use the benches in the Born.
“We know it’s a special place and that’s why we want to say goodbye to summer in a special way, walking through the city we want,” explained the organizers. The meeting concludes the second summer of outdoor dinners by Brunzzit, an initiative that revives the custom of dining in the street to denounce the loss of community spaces for residents.