A few days ago they occupied Portal 33 of Correría Street, giving continuity to the Talka project, which started almost a year ago with the occupation of the Palace of Álava. The Talka has reopened its doors on 7 December, although they have already explained that they have been inside for days, and have presented an all-week programme to bring space to life. They want to start working from the ground up, to gradually turn it into a space for all women, women, women and trans, to be “a network of collaboration and a space of mutual support.”

On December 15, 2018, the Talka project was first made public after the occupation of the Ituren Belas Palace on Zapatari Street. In February of this year, the Local Police evicted the non-mixed self-managed area of Vitoria-Gasteiz. However, Talka members have explained that the project has remained alive, as the project is not limited to a space, but is a tool to build “the power of the neighborhood and the feminist defense”.

Collision with the system

In order to create a “system gap”, Talka members will undertake this new project journey: “We have to bridge the recovery system of our lives and our bodies,” they explained, “within the capitalist, colonial, heteropatriarchal system we will not be sure and until this becomes free.”

To this end, they have underlined the need to create spaces to counteract beyond the institutions, moving away from institutional parliamentarism and betting on influencing the street in order to achieve good self-organization. The institutions have denounced the use of feminism as a tool to whitewash their faces and have claimed a leftist, revolutionary and radical feminism. Talka members have stated that feminism cannot be understood without conflict, as feminism is to rise up against all oppression. In the same sense, they have stressed that feminism is not a product that is in favor of capital.

On social networks they have reported that it has not been a random choice, behind this place has been explained the forbearance and business of the City of Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Programme of the whole week

Under the motto “Ataketatik elkar bizia”, Talka has presented an ambitious programme all week long to bring the new occupied space to life and move forward with the project. As of December 8, the auzolans, assemblies, workshops or concerts will fill the new self-managed space of Zapatari Street. The activities will be carried out every day, inviting all the women, women and women in Vitoria-Gasteiz to participate in the initiatives and to defend the space that corresponds to them.

The programme of the week will be closed on 15 December, the anniversary of the first occupation of the Talka. At 12:00 a massive photo will be taken at the Alaba Belasko Palace of Álava and then a toast will be made at the new Talka.