Grieving Man Returns from Trip to Find His Home Occupied
Recently, in the Burceña neighborhood of Barakaldo, a city in the province of Biscay, Basque Country, a particularly distressing case of illegal home occupation took place. The victim, a local man, was reeling from the recent death of both his parents. To cope with his grief, he decided to visit relatives in the province of Salamanca for a few days.
However, upon his return to Barakaldo, he was met with a devastating shock: the lock on his door had been changed, and he could hear strangers’ voices inside. In the short time he was away, his home had been completely taken over by a family with a child.
Crime of Home Invasion Established, Police Intervene Swiftly
When confronted by the homeowner, the “Okupas” (illegal squatters) inside claimed they had “rented” the property through a third party. However, this lie was quickly debunked by neighbor testimonies. An eyewitness confirmed having seen a man climb over the fence and illegally enter the home through the kitchen window.
Because the property was the victim’s primary residence (vivienda habitual), the squatters’ actions constituted the serious crime of “home invasion” (delito de allanamiento de morada) under Spanish law, rather than the lesser offense of squatting in a vacant property. With corroborating testimony from neighbors, the local police had sufficient evidence to confirm the crime and immediately initiated an emergency eviction procedure.
City Council’s Efficient Response Breaks Eviction Deadlock
In Spain, eviction cases involving “vulnerable groups” with minor children are often complex and time-consuming. The law frequently requires social services to provide an alternative housing solution for these families before the judicial process can proceed, which can lead to indefinite delays. Fortunately, in this instance, the Barakaldo City Council demonstrated remarkable administrative efficiency.
To ensure the homeowner’s legal rights were promptly protected, the relevant municipal departments acted quickly, making an exception to arrange temporary accommodation for the squatter family in a hotel. This crucial step cleared the legal hurdles, allowing the police to lawfully clear the property on the same day and return it to the distraught owner.
Home Reclaimed, but Emotional Trauma Remains
Although the homeowner quickly recovered his property thanks to the efficient collaboration of multiple parties, avoiding a lengthy legal battle, he suffered a second, even more profound emotional blow upon re-entering his home. He discovered to his horror that during their brief occupation, the squatters had thrown out all of his deceased parents’ belongings, including precious family photos and their recently placed ashes, treating them as garbage.
These items, which held a lifetime of family memories and the last vestiges of his loved ones, are invaluable and irreplaceable. For the owner, who had just lost both parents, this act was like rubbing salt in the wound, leading to a complete emotional breakdown. The incident once again highlights the severity of Spain’s “Okupa” problem, sparking public outrage and calls for legislative reform to address this persistent issue.
