Can Vies

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Can Vies
Centre Social Autogestionat Can Vies
The CSA Can Vies
Map
General information
LocationSants, Barcelona
CountrySpain
Coordinates41°22′27″N 2°08′05″E / 41.3741°N 2.1346°E / 41.3741; 2.1346
Completed1879
OwnerTransports Metropolitans de Barcelona

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.

Eviction attempt[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Thirty arrested as rioting continues at Can Vies building in Barcelona". The Guardian. 29 May 2014. 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. 30 May 2014. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  3. ^ "Gewalt bei Protesten gegen Räumung". Die Tageszeitung: Taz. 29 May 2014. 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. 29 May 2014. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  5. ^ a b 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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