Trucks unloaded beer kegs at the occupied Can Vies building in Sants this week, sparking accusations from Barcelona’s Popular Party (PP) leader Daniel Sirera, who accused Mayor Jaume Collboni of being "an accomplice" to the illegal occupation of the municipal property.
Sirera described the footage of deliveries as "scandalous", stating that goods were being unloaded "as if it were a bar" in preparation for the Sants Major Festival. He questioned whether the site had municipal authorisation, civil liability insurance, health controls, or safety measures in place.
"Can the squatters sell or serve drinks without a license and without paying taxes? Who controls the sanitary conditions? Who guarantees safety and who will assume responsibility if something happens?"
He contrasted the situation with licensed restaurateurs in Barcelona, whom he said are "suffocated by taxes, fees, and municipal bureaucracy" while complying with strict regulations. According to Sirera, the occupants of Can Vies pay no fees or taxes despite using a publicly owned building.
Political Debate Over Longstanding Occupation
The controversy comes amid ongoing political debate over the future of Can Vies, which has been occupied for nearly three decades. At a recent full council meeting, a PP motion calling for immediate eviction was rejected, with votes against from PSC, BComú and ERC, abstention from Junts, and support only from Vox.
Raquel Gil, Barcelona’s fifth deputy mayor and local councillor for Sants-Montjuïc, stated that the city government does not see “any danger that justifies intervening quickly” at the site. She emphasized the need for responsible action and consensus with residents.
Despite repeated calls from the PP and Vox for clearance, the Collboni administration has maintained its position against immediate intervention. Gil said the executive has spent the past two years seeking solutions and does not intend to “reactivate a problem where none currently exists”.
Demands for Transparent Public Use
Sirera demanded that the City Council reclaim the building and allocate it transparently for community needs such as healthcare, education, culture or social housing. He accused previous mayors of weakness, claiming Xavier Trias lacked firmness, Ada Colau encouraged occupations, and Collboni now permits them.
"In Collboni's Barcelona, the restaurateur who pays taxes, creates jobs, and complies with regulations is persecuted, while the squatter who pays no taxes and appropriates a municipal building is rewarded," Sirera said.
The 28th Alternative Sants Festival is scheduled to take place at Can Vies, listed as a self-managed social centre (CSA), with events confirmed on the city’s official participatory platform bcn.convoca.la.
Reported by metropoliabierta.elespanol.com, europapress.es, Europa Press Barcelona, EFE, Rubén Pacheco, lavanguardia.com, Europa Press, bcn.convoca.la, Jordi Ribalaygue, Arnau Raimundo, Metrópoli Abierta - Urban Life.
