Residents in Barcelona's Raval neighbourhood are organising to prevent the eviction of the Àgora Juan Andrés Benítez, a community space, scheduled for 14 May. This marks the second attempt by the property owner to reclaim the plot, following a previous effort in 2018.
The space was occupied by local residents on 5 October 2014, coinciding with the anniversary of the involuntary manslaughter of Juan Andrés Benítez, a local man who died at the hands of eight Mossos d'Esquadra officers. "We are prepared to fight until the last second to preserve the use of the space," Iñaki García from El Lokal del Raval told Infobarris. Local groups have managed the Àgora since its inception, offering it to other organisations from Raval and beyond for meetings and activities.
To defend the plot, organisers have planned several actions, including a signature collection, poster campaign, and a demonstration. The Àgora, located on Carrer de l'Aurora at the corner of Carrer de la Riereta, has become a green oasis in the heart of Raval. For some, it is a garden; for others, a peaceful resting area or a play space for children.
Community Pride and Purpose
García explained that the Àgora shows a different side of Raval. "Raval is always stigmatised, and we present the Àgora as a source of neighbourhood pride, as if to say: 'Look what we are capable of doing without budgets, without subsidies, with our own effort,'" he said. The Àgora is open to everyone, with its maintenance and plant care handled communally. Those who defend the space are proud that, over 12 years, all issues have been resolved through dialogue, avoiding conflicts with neighbours.
The plot is owned by Sareb, an asset management company created by the Spanish government to socialise losses from banks' toxic real estate assets during the 2008 financial crisis. Faced with Sareb's eviction order, the current managers have sought support from political parties, both in government and opposition, and other institutions to avoid leaving.
Elena Martín, a member of the campaign "L'Àgora es queda al Raval" (The Àgora stays in Raval), explained their strategy. "We went to the ombudsman and then to the political level, obviously, because we are very aware that this must be stopped at the political level. A judicial demand in the execution phase, unless the demanding company withdraws the demand, which is not probable, cannot be stopped in any way," Martín concluded.
A Memorial and Meeting Point
The Àgora Juan Andrés Benítez is open Monday to Friday, from 5pm to 9pm, with various events and activities held at weekends. Since its occupation 12 years ago, over 400 groups have used the space, which has always been managed by the Raval community. In response to the eviction, residents have organised actions to raise awareness of the threat to the space.
A demonstration is planned for 12 May, and if no counter-order is issued, residents will camp on the plot to prevent the eviction. This space is not only a reference point in Raval but also a memorial to Juan Andrés Benítez, a local resident and member of Barcelona's LGTBI+ community. Benítez died at the hands of the Mossos d'Esquadra on the night of 5 to 6 October 2013.
The officers involved were convicted of involuntary manslaughter, the only conviction for a death under police custody in Catalonia in the last 15 years. In 2014, as an act of protest, dozens of Raval residents occupied the plot, which had been empty for years and is located directly opposite where Juan Andrés Benítez died.
