Catalan government and social groups enable shelter for some evicted Badalona migrants

The Catalan government along with some social groups such as religious Càritas or the Red Cross have found premises to shelter some of the 400 migrants evicted from B9 old high school in Badalona.

Catalonia's Social Rights department explained that some of the people who have been sleeping rough since the eviction on Tuesday will be able to have a bed and a shelter between 8pm and 9am in the coming days, starting on Sunday night.

On Saturday, authorities were deciding who is in more need for this emergency service, which has been enabled given the severe weather conditions of this week in Badalona, with two especially rainy days on Wednesday and Saturday.

This temporary solution for the migrants was agreed by the Catalan government, and several local social entities operating in Badalona: Càritas, Red Cross, Sant Joan de Déu hospital's social services and Llegat Roca i Pi Foundation.

Also, Casal Antoni Sala i Pont community center, linked to left-wing CUP party, will shelter some 15 migrants for several nights beginning on Saturday.

One of the spaces originally prepared to lodge some of the migrants was a local church, but some dozens of residents blocked the access to the building on Sunday evening to prevent it from being used to shelter them. Social movements eventually relocated them elsewhere.

Mayor says some migrants rejected aid

The mayor of Badalona, Xavier Garcia Albiol, who stands for a hard line against migrants occupying premises, has repeatedly said this week that he would not find shelter for those evicted.

Yet, on Sunday, he said he respects the move led by the Catalan government to ensure accommodation for the people, who have been camping in the street for days after being removed from the old high school on Wednesday.

Albiol also called on institutions and residents to "not normalizing illegal occupation."

He also said that some of the people evicted rejected receiving aid from the local social services, and on Sunday evening he said to the few neighbors who were rallying against the church being used as a shelter that he would try to persuade the Catalan government to send them out of Badalona.