Update: The ruling PP and controlled media are accusing the anti eviction movementg PAH of belonging to ETA terrorist mileau and subject to anti terrorist laws
The PAH Anti Eviction Platform in the town of Salt has occupied a whole block of new empty flats owned by Sareb, the newly created ‘bad bank’ set up to hold ‘toxic assets’ from bankrupt creditors. The association will transfer them to families who have been left homeless. 400,000 people have been evicted in the Spanish State due to the banks crisis and evictions are running at over 500 a day. The PAH forced parliament to debate an anti eviction law with a 1 million petition, but the majority PP are against. The EU has declared Spanish law in which you have to keep paying a mortgage after being evicted to be illegal.
The squatted block is a toxic asset. It is also the only speck of life in failed blocks and empty buildings and real estate in the mountain town of Salt (Gironès County, Catalonia). The Platform of People Affected by Mortgages (PAH) on Friday took the block of brand new unused flats to distribute them free to families evicted . An illegal action that has received the solidarity of neighbors and social entities.
It is one of the more than 80,000 homes that financial institutions have been nationalized or state aid have been transferred to the bad bank. All these could now be up for grabs as the PAH movement goes viral.
«I would have settled for a ruined building,» comments Oriol Riu, one of the activists in the flat where it has established operations center. But no, the 30-flat 5 storey block with brick facade is part of a recent promotion and has all the amenities: hardwood floors, kitchen with cooker, heating … Outside, a wilderness area has been turned into a huge garden in just three days. Under the spring sun Aliou Sabale it works, a Senegalese immigrant who will soon lose her flat mortgaged flat. «This is a collective struggle. When they evict me, I may have to come and live here, » she says while removing the earth with a hoe.
Behind Aliou a graffiti highlights in green letters that activists have painted on a wall: A Social Work of PAH. «This building was owned by Banco Mare Nostrum. This action seeks the recovery of empty homes in the hands of financial institutions, «the note said that on Friday afternoon PAH partitioned to explain the action. When a member of the platform entity called to ask about an apartment block before the occupation, the answer was that «it was not for rent or for sale.» While activists were prepared to defend the building tooth and nail, it is unlikely that the police come and throw them, at least in the short term. The building has juystr been transferred to the Asset Management Company of the Bank Restructuring Coming (Sareb), the so-called bad bank. This partnership has been created by the state, where troubled banks will transfer their properties for future sale.
The occupiers have started gardening in the sun in the surrounding property
«Banco Mare Nostrum has no freedom to do anything,» says a spokesman for the company, which has received 1,645 million euros ‘support’ of public money while throwing people on the street. That is, they cannot legally denounce the occupation and as for Sareb they will take time to begin to reclaim their property.
The news is greeted with joy by members of the PAH, as they prepare to sink their teeth into the chicken simmering in a large pot. The first to get to the table are the children, who are on Easter vacation and having a great time in the garden and playing ball around the estate. «Everybody is looking for a stool,» shouts one of the kids before attacking his plate.
In number 1 Doctor Castany Street, all is enthusiasm and hope. You can see the unifying force of PAH: there are women, men and children, pensioners and unemployed, natives and immigrants. Most have one thing in common: they are the «concerned, or »affected»», as they say in their jargon.
Many have lost their flats or about to do so When the situation is «stable», the PAH will be giving housing to families in need. «We want to be an example,» says the spokeswoman, Marta Outside and begin to transfer the empty flats to families without income.
The # blocsalt-label social network Twitter, is not the first case of occupation of the PAH: other examples in Terrassa Olot or have been implemented with varying degrees of success. From the balcony of the apartment occupied inanimate character is planted in the garden. Not a scarecrow is a «scare-banks», wearing a green shirt with PAH and a stop sign and head-evictions.
Related articles
- Barcelona #15M Newsletter 40: General Revolt (thefreeonline.wordpress.com)
- Spain: 6m empties, 400,000 families on street, 500 evictions a day!!
- Barcelona: Evicted families take 6 bank-owned blocks
- Barcelona / apoyo mutua! / Mutual Aid Works..Eviction of 300 stopped
- The DOOM LOOP: banks and States in Death Embrace !
- Spain’s bad bank hires advisers to sift through property assets (uk.reuters.com)
- Transfers to bad bank brings about cosmetic fall in loan defaults (elpais.com)El PP no aceptará la dación en pago universal en el trámite de la ley La PAH presenta peticiones de nulidad de cientos de desahucios
- Suicides Mount as Spain’s Economy Crumbles (wealthwire.com)
- Mortgage activists to use EU court ruling in their fight (elpais.com)
http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/19/17373079-mortgage-protesters-occupy-bank-in-barcelona
The Free 
May the People prevail and become a positive example for the world. Community, solidarity and commitment are vital. The survival of the human race is at stake.
Me gustaMe gusta