summarized translation en catalá abaix. “Those who have known and lived with El Lokal, see it as a beacon for social movements in the city, a center of constant social and political unrest; a space for training, debate, organization and coordination of local and international struggles. Always ready, always on the ball.

see also…New Mutual Aid Hotline Blocks dozens of Evictions, Threats and Toxic Capitalism



Last Sunday we celebrated its 30th birthday at the adjacent ‘Agora Juan Andrés Benítez’ occupied space, which is named in memory of a neighbor killed by the Mossos local police in 2013- with a debate that brought together some of the anarchist and autonomous struggles of today.

This week, for the second year, we have rejected the medal awarded to the project by the Barcelona Council to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary, in recognition for its work in the neighborhood over the years.

Despite the years, the spirit of frantic activity in El Lokal is very much alive. While we chatted, six different people climbed the stairs , one to bring to back a megaphone after the morning demo, one requesting use of the ‘Agora’ occupied space for a tribute to the guerrilla Joaquina Dorado, one to leave samples of a home made detox drink made from flowers, one….. El Lokal has an extension in the adjacent occupied site named after a man killed by police .. the Àgora Juan Andrés Benítez where hundreds of activities take place, including neighbourhood and city wide groupings..

“Every day we could write a new story of what happens here. Thats what’s so beautiful about these thirty years, but also the anxiety, stress and emotional pressure is not normal or easy to manage.” Iñaki and Marta, members of the project, explain. We are sittung in the attic of this historic community center, an anarchist point of reference in the Barrio Chino and the city, crowded with posters Zapatista material, and punk, fanzines, books and records, emanating an aura of rebellion out the door.

# Ravalresistim New Mutual Aid Hotline in El Lokal. .. we’re living a situation of extreme urgency with weekly and often daily evictions, harassment and bullying, an exponential increase of speculative practices, and price rises that are covert expulsions of the population; Stop evictions May 2017….the Raval barrio (Barcelona old city) opens ain.. we’re living a situation of extreme urgency with weekly and often daily evictions, harassment and bullying, an exponential increase of speculative practices, and price rises that are covert expulsions of the population;



The first actions of those that became members of the group El Lokal occurred in June 1987 / Montse Giralt

Then came a timid against Barcelona Olympic movement, the birth of Virus Editorial, protests against the repression of Catalan independence, support for the intifada Besos and the Zapatista uprising on 1 January 1994.

The Collective in Solidarity with the Zapatista Revolution was part of a global explosion and a mirror for the European revolutionary movements. Marta remembers how they formed a brigade of women to attend the first intergalactic Encuentro por Humanity and against Neoliberalism, held in Chiapas, Mexico.

From El Lokal we were coordinating civilian brigades and thousands of accreditations and tickets for groups, individuals and interested activists who flew to Mexico. All this was possible with the establishment of the Consulate of the EZLN rebellion in the same street Carrer Cera.

Iñaki i Marta a El Lokal / Montse Giralt

The second Encuentro was held in Barcelona two years later . “There came thousands of people from around the world through a network of autonomous spaces, squatted social centers… with thematic activities, lectures, workshops and training and welcomed all who were sleeping, with breakfast, lunch and dinner”.

The Hamsa, the Vakeria de l’ Hospitalet, the Palomar and Kan Pasqual were some of the squat centres participating. But there were other tables and events around Catalonia, from Maresme to Priorat.

” Zapatismo was like a rain of May, which brought forth the subsequent meetings and counter-European summits” as well as initiatives such as the Secretariat and coordination with the anti – IMF and anti- World Bank, Against the Europe of Capital, Against Europe of Maastricht and economic globalization, which crystallized in the 2000 Global Resistance Movement.

The current struggle against gentrification and tourism

In recent years Lokal has been impregnated by the legacy of the 15M occupy movement and the police murder in broad daylight of Juan Andres Benitez in Aurora street. “The incident generated a great outcry in the neighborhood, because the neighbours, politicized or not, were eyewitnesses of police brutality.” says Marta, who also adds that the campaign of denunciation and justice received sympathy from the neighborhood.

A year after the death of Benitez the Agora “open space enabled interaction not only between neighbours but also movements from the entire city.” However, the police policy has not change much in recent years and ” daily police actions on the grounds of skin color continue.”

Today, the district focuses on the battle against speculation and fighting against the eviction of neighbors.

”For more than ten years El Lokal has been the Coordinator against speculation, a tool intended to detect and combat cases of ‘mobbing’ (eviction by intimidation) in the neighborhood, especially around the Rambla del Raval…” says Marta.

The pressure on housing and rent has increased over the years. There has been mobilization through the Raval Resists anti-eviction movement, and synergies with groups such as PAH. “Now is the time when we’re doing more work in the neighborhood, we’re not an island.”

see also…New Mutual Aid Hotline Blocks dozens of Evictions, Threats and Toxic Capitalism

” Luxury apartments, tourist apartments … Leave you helpless, because there are few legal tools, it is a fight against Goliath….. what did not conclude in 1992 they are doing now. ”

‏ @ el_lokal

# RavalResistim 4 desnonaments aturats el 10/3 al barri. Un gran día | El Lokal http://ellokal.o…

complete report in Catalan..

Tres dècades amb un far llibertari al Raval barceloní