Can Vies

Can Vies (also known as Centre Social Autogestionat Can Vies) is a building located in the Sants neighborhood of Barcelona, built in 1879. It has been squatted since 1997 when a group of youths occupied it and began using it as a self-managed social centre and infoshop. In late May 2014 riots broke out in a successful attempt to stop an eviction. The building was partially demolished and rebuilt by the local community.

Can Vies
Centre Social Autogestionat Can Vies
General information
LocationSants, Barcelona
CountrySpain
Coordinates41.3741°N 2.1346°E / 41.3741; 2.1346
Completed1879
OwnerTransports Metropolitans de Barcelona

Eviction attempt

In May 2014, negotiations took place between the owners of the building, Barcelona's public transport operator Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona and the squatters.[1] After the negotiations failed, the building was evicted on May 26 and demolition works commenced.[2] As a result, Barcelona experienced riots and protests during the following nights. The protests also spread to the cities of Madrid, Mallorca and Valencia.[1] The government sent an additional 200 police officers to Barcelona to help in dealing with the protests.[3] In a successful attempt to stop the demolition, protesters built barricades and set the excavator on fire.[4]

Reconstruction

The building was resquatted and a community-based reconstruction program begun.[5] The local government announced on May 30 that the building would not be demolished.[6] Can Vies launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund the rebuilding costs, which were estimated at €70,000.[7] In the end, €90,000 was quickly raised.[5]

See also

References
  1. "Thirty arrested as rioting continues at Can Vies building in Barcelona". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  2. "Squat demolition called off after four nights of rioting in Barcelona". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  3. "Gewalt bei Protesten gegen Räumung". die tageszeitung. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  4. "El desalojo de Can Vies: claves de la protesta que desató la violencia en Barcelona". 20minutos. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  5. Debelle dos Santos, G.; Dee, E.T.C. (2015). "Examining mainstream media discourses on the squatters' movements in Barcelona and London" (PDF). Interface. 7 (1): 117–143. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 April 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  6. "Barcelona backs down over squat demolition". The Local. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  7. Rowberry, Ryan (2016). "Alleviating Barcelona's Public Housing Shortages Through Historic Properties". Georgia State University College of Law, Legal Studies Research Paper. 2016–9. SSRN 2756575.
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