The Civil Guard is currently probing the fire incident that completely obliterated the headquarters of the Tenerife Tenants’ Union (SITF) in Granadilla de Abona. The group asserts that the fire was deliberate, as there was no electricity connection in the premises and no apparent cause for the flames, while the access door had been forced open.
According to EFE, one of the union members, Víctor Martín, revealed that after speaking with neighbours, they learnt that on Saturday night, some individuals forcibly entered the premises, set it ablaze using gasoline, and then swiftly escaped.
Martín expressed concern that the perpetrators behind the act were most likely affiliated with the only adversary the union had in southern Tenerife – an unemployment organisation that had previously threatened union members and engaged in mafia-style activities related to housing issues in the region.
The union was established roughly three years ago in response to the housing challenges faced in Tenerife’s tourist areas with the objective of advocating for decent housing rights for residents in the vicinity, and has since expanded its reach to cover the entire island.
Apart from its advocacy work, the group also engages in providing clothing, footwear, toys, and books to vulnerable groups. Their headquarters, situated on a bustling avenue in the San Isidro neighbourhood, served as a storage space in a disadvantaged, predominantly working-class locality.
Martín highlighted that they have a helpline for individuals experiencing housing-related issues, typically regarding evictions, rent defaults, or unfair rental contracts. Their aim is to shield tenants from the pressures exerted by real estate agencies.
Martín further stated that the escalating rental prices in the region were forcing people out, leading to the formation of makeshift settlements close to tourist hubs where individuals work but are unable to afford proper housing, resorting to living in tents or caves.
Due to the overwhelming number of requests received, the advisory services offered to families are predominantly based on the members’ voluntary efforts and free time. Martín revealed that the union members have been subjected to various violent acts such as stone-throwing, property damage, and intimidation tactics.
According to Martín, the recent incident was preceded by threats and provocations by the company associated with the unemployment group, indicating a pattern of harassment towards the union members. The situation has been distressing for families already grappling with vulnerable circumstances.
The group wishes for this incident to be a catalyst for the elimination of such unemployment groups and urges political, judicial, and law enforcement authorities to intervene. The impact on families in vulnerable situations, particularly children facing heightened anxiety due to such disturbances, underscores the urgency for action.
Back up for the association
The Collectivo Recortes Cero and the CGT trade union have shown their solidarity with the Tenants’ Association following the incident at their storage facility on Monday.
Recortes Cero, as an organisation “dedicated to defending the right to housing”, has strongly condemned and expressed deep outrage at the arson attack suffered by the Tenants Association in Tenerife.
In a statement, the group explained, “This act of violence, preceded by threats from the Desokupa organisation, is not only an attack on the association but also on all individuals who strive for the right to adequate, accessible, and secure housing. We stand in solidarity with the members of the association and all the families impacted by this cowardly act.”
“At Cuts Zero, we believe that housing is a fundamental right, a basic necessity that should be accessible to all, not a luxurious commodity limited to a select few. Real estate speculation and the violence associated with it must be actively combated from all angles. Safeguarding the right to housing is crucial for establishing a fairer and more just society,” they express.
Therefore, they demand that authorities conduct a “thorough investigation” and implement robust measures to ensure the safety of those defending the right to housing. “It is unacceptable that individuals advocating for such a fundamental right are subjected to threats and violence,” they conclude.
The Tenerife branch of the CGT Single Union has expressed its “support” for the Tenants Association and has directly called out “the squatter organisations engaging in criminal and extrajudicial activities in Tenerife, individuals who have even gone to the extent of inscribing threats on the door of the same premises, intimidating the association members and the premises itself.”
According to the union, this incident “confirms that several members of the anti-squatter group had spent time earlier in front of the premises door insulting those present, and then later that night, it was engulfed in flames in an arson attack.”
