Riot police arrive at migrants’ unsafe squat

WorldPolitics
17 Dec 2025 • 8:52 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Police in northeastern Spain commenced an eviction operation to remove hundreds of mostly undocumented migrants from an abandoned school building in Badalona, north of Barcelona.
  • The operation, carried out by Catalonia's regional police in riot gear, began early Wednesday morning under court orders, with many occupants having already vacated the premises.
  • Badalona's Mayor, Xavier García Albiol, confirmed the eviction of what he termed "400 illegal squatters," citing the squat as a public safety hazard.
  • Marta Llonch, a lawyer representing the squatters, highlighted that many residents, some with valid residency and work permits, were compelled to live there due to unaffordable housing and will now be homeless.
  • The eviction underscores the challenges faced by migrants in Spain, a country that has experienced a steady influx of people crossing the Mediterranean or Atlantic.

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