The protest, launched after the pot-banging demonstration called by the Tenants’ Union, continues to focus primarily on demands for lower rents and measures to address evictions. As they wait for more people to join and prepare upcoming demonstrations, the campers are now trying to organize the day-to-day running of a space that, they have repeatedly said, they intend to maintain “for as long as necessary.”
NO ALCOHOL, NO DRUGS AND KEEPING THE SPACE CLEAN
Among the first rules agreed upon is a ban on consuming alcohol and drugs inside the encampment. Participants have also been asked to keep the area around Plaza España clean, with the aim of facilitating coexistence and avoiding problems in a space through which hundreds of people continue to pass every day.
These rules come after a first night that the campers themselves generally described as peaceful. Some participants organized shifts so that there would always be people awake, while others tried to rest amid the noise of the tram, nighttime traffic and rain. There were also some isolated shouts and insults from outside, although the night passed without major incidents.
CANOPIES, SLEEPING MATS, WATER AND BATTERIES AMONG THE ITEMS NEEDED
Organizing the camp also involves obtaining supplies to sustain the protest. The items requested include canopies and tents, sleeping mats, camping tents, food, water, portable batteries, ice and a first-aid kit. These are basic necessities for dealing with both rest periods and the weather conditions, as well as remaining in the square for an extended period.
The encampment will continue at least over the coming days, with attention focused on Saturday, when a housing demonstration is scheduled to take place in Santo Domingo Square. Participants hope the camp will also help strengthen that mobilization and attract support for demands focused on rental prices, evictions and access to housing.
