The El Toscal residents are astounded by the devastation discovered within the neighbourhood house that had been occupied for five months by squatters until they departed on Saturday morning.
“I have never witnessed anything like this in my life; the stench is unbearable“, remarks one of the residents. Litter lies everywhere, remnants of food, alcohol bottles and cans, cockroaches, stains on the walls and floor, and even human and cat excrement scattered across the floor… A mere glance reveals “a nightmarish scene“, say some of the locals mobilised against the insecurity brought about by these squatters and for which they will vacate the neighbourhood.
Images of Filth
The photographs from inside the property testify to this. Dirty pots and cans discarded in the courtyard, food remnants strewn across the floor, used food containers scattered about, remnants of furniture, suitcases…
The state of the El Toscal property after the squatters abandoned it on Saturday. / Ed
One resident expressed, “Seeing what these individuals left behind when they finally vacated the house makes us question how they managed to live in those conditions, without water, without a bathroom, with minimal facilities, and without the slightest hint of cleanliness.”
The residents also remember that this house at number 24 El Greeto Street, from where the squatters departed on Saturday morning after an eviction order, is in ruins, which exacerbates the dire conditions in which these individuals lived.
A House in Ruins
Indeed, the photographs clearly display chipped walls, severe structural damage, moisture, and stairs in disrepair… “It’s alarming that these individuals were allowed to remain inside despite the serious risks they faced.”
The state of the property at El Toscal after the squatters vacated it on Saturday. / Ed
“How could there have been no action taken sooner given that these individuals not only occupied the property unlawfully but also lived amidst ruins and in inhumane, unhealthy conditions,” queried one of the concerned residents.
The locals estimate that since January, over a dozen individuals have unlawfully occupied this property, some permanently and others intermittently. They recall that the latest additions to the group are two young immigrants who are certainly minors, despite their claims of being 18 years old.
Were Minors Present?
“How could the authorities have allowed minors, who we are convinced are underage because we have seen them many times walking around the neighbourhood searching through the rubbish, to reside for weeks in such deplorable conditions when we had already raised the alarm?” states one resident.
On Saturday morning, after months of gatherings and protests, the squatters finally vacated the house. Several hours had passed since the deadline imposed by the Court of Instruction number 1 of Santa Cruz de Tenerife for the eviction was reached.
Planks blocking the entrance of the house after the squatters vacated it on Saturday in El Toscal. / Ed
No judicial representative was present on El Greeto Street this Friday at noon when the ultimatum from the Court expired, which also imposed a fine of 180 euros on two of the squatters for property usurpation. Apparently, the court was awaiting a new order to proceed with the forced eviction, which could potentially take weeks or months.
A “Surreal” Situation
After the deadline, between Friday night and early Saturday, the last four squatters, including the aforementioned two youngsters, finally vacated the property with a few belongings (a TV, suitcases, a music system), which the residents used to place planks to prevent others from unlawfully occupying the house.
The interior courtyard of El Toscal’s house that has been freed after five months of occupation. / Ed
“Everything has felt surreal“, these El Toscal residents express. “The police could not act to evict the squatters while identifying us, the residents; no one from the court appeared when the deadline passed, no one responded to our initial calls to alert them that minors were present, and no action was taken despite the house being in a state of disrepair. We feared placing barriers because we might end up being reported…”.
The interior of El Toscal’s dwelling taken over by squatters that has finally been vacated. / Ed
“To all this, we add incidents, violent episodes, including a fight with razors; challenging behaviours, abuse and threats during the early hours, causing considerable distress to the neighbourhood…,” they recount. “But nothing was done in five months! We cannot comprehend any of it.”
The residents can finally breathe easy, although they remain vigilant in case this group attempts to occupy another property in the area. They note that El Toscal contains “a sufficient number of such homes that have just been freed from El Greeto Street, all in poor condition.”
The Pressure from the Community
The community’s pressure has been crucial in resolving this squatting situation and that of another nearby house on Second Ravina Passage, which residents also associate with the group from the House of Greeto.
Another image from inside the property on El Greeto Street in El Toscal. / Ed
It was the residents who contacted the owners of the House of Greeto to file a complaint for property usurpation, which ultimately instigated the judgment from the Court of Instruction number 1 of Santa Cruz; they were the ones who mobilised from day one of this distressing issue, and it was they who pressured the squatters to leave the neighbourhood.
The aim has been clear … For now. “We will remain vigilant to ensure this does not happen again, as some people have endured a very tough time, especially those who lived closest to the two houses in question,” they conclude.
