Residents of the corralones on Castellar street suffered a violent attack by an eviction company on Tuesday, July 7. 84 social entities demand protection and the halt of the hotel project.
On Tuesday, July 7, the tension that had been building for months in the corralones on Castellar street, in the heart of Seville, erupted in violence that has led 84 social groups to raise their voices. An eviction company hired by the property broke into one of the homes and violently expelled its inhabitants, who required hospital attention. According to the organizations, these events constitute a crime of breaking and entering and assault.
Harassment and prior sabotage
This was not an isolated incident. The residents of the corralones had been suffering harassment, threats, sabotage, and supply cuts for months without effective action from the institutions. The property, according to the manifesto, seeks to expel the residents and artisans to build a four-star hotel in the building. The speculative operation, valued in millions, also threatens the viability of the Calderón de la Barca school, located in the same building.
Violence in broad daylight
On the day of the eviction, members of the company attacked with pepper spray residents, passersby, and even media outlets covering the events. The signing organizations denounce “the impunity with which these companies operate” and demand an investigation into the disappearance of personal belongings taken during the assault. For the groups, the normalisation of this violence poses a threat to the entire society of Seville.
Three urgent measures
The entities, including neighbourhood associations, unions, and housing platforms, have demanded three immediate actions: guarantee the physical integrity of the attacked residents, put an end to real estate harassment, and halt the speculative operation. Additionally, they call for citizen solidarity to stop what they consider an exclusionary city model. “Behind these events lies a multi-million euro speculative operation that aims to expel residents, workshops, and community spaces,” warns the statement.
Meanwhile, the residents of the corralones on Castellar street remain on edge, hoping that the institutions will act before the violence repeats itself. The property, for its part, continues its plan to convert the historic building into a hotel, in an area where tourism has driven up housing prices. The groups remind that Seville cannot afford to lose its social and commercial fabric in the name of speculation.
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