In Spain, the Madrid authorities’ move to carry out evictions amid the COVID-19 lockdown at a building used by the “La Ingobernable” Social Center on April 25, Saturday, has evoked widespread protests. La Ingobernable is a platform of feminists, environmentalists and anarchists running a series of self-managed social centers in central Madrid. The Madrid committees of Izquierda Unida (IU) and the Communist Party of Spain (PCE) have expressed their solidarity with La Ingobernable and condemned the sealing of the building.
Mundo Obrero reported that the Madrid City Council also expelled the group from another building in December last year. This time, the eviction has been ordered by the Ministry of Justice. La Ingobernable has claimed that their rights have been violated by the authorities who have not followed proper procedures.
Carolina Cordero, co-spokesperson for IU Madrid, said that the decision to carry out evictions and seal the building is “incomprehensible, due to the moment in which it occurs, but above all because of what it means for Madrilenians, and Madrilenians to lose a space for meetings and collective construction that has contributed so much to the social fabric of the city.”
Álvaro Aguilera from Madrid PCE said, “The government should not be, at this time or at any time, closing citizen initiatives as essential as this Social Center, quite the contrary, any public institution should always try to promote and encourage spaces for collective construction, of debate and mutual solidarity.
“We need a Madrid region full of self-organized social centers that contribute to the construction of popular power,” he added.
Earlier, the Communist Youth Union of Spain (UJCE) had criticized the Madrid City Council’s reduction of taxes on casinos, bingos and betting houses by 25%. The UJCE has also called for building popular spaces where the youth can organize social activities and support, and to defend the social centers in neighborhoods.
