- Organized by the San Sebastian Ombudsman Coordinator, formed by various associations of neighbours and social movements in Donostia, hundreds of people have spoken out this Sunday in favor of a habitable city model. 42 social groups and neighborhood associations have joined the call and left Easo Square at 12:00, while San Sebastian is not on sale leading a banner.
It has been a demonstration of an hour and twenty minutes, touring Amara, Centro, Gros and the Old Party. Along the way, the park of Auditz akular is a right to housing, Manteo and Culinary no, we have heard shouts like Donostia, to live not for the business, and Herritarrari gora turismoa behera, among others. Despite the rainy morning, people did not want to stay at home and took advantage of the demonstration to make several demands.
According to the coordinator, the current San Sebastian city model “is aimed at the benefit of a minority” and the living conditions of the majority “are excluded for the benefit of the most privileged sectors”. They denounce that the decisions of the municipal government “in favor of businesses of speculation, tourism and luxury” are adopted “one after the other”, “while introducing the city in a wild process of turistification, increases the emergence of housing, expels neighbors from neighborhoods, destroys architectural and natural heritage, reduces green areas, loses small trade and affects the sociocultural fabric of the city”.
They point out that the consequences of these policies are “increasingly serious” and are currently borne by most Donostiarras. In this sense, they denounce that some urban projects “unrelated to the needs of the Donostiarras” are being implemented without regard to the general interest of the citizens or the voice. Among others, they mention: Construction of the second building of the Basque Culinary Center, “Manteo Park destroyed”; construction project of a commercial center in the hill of San Bartolomé; “disprotection and demolition” of unique historical and emblematic buildings; not take steps for the declaration of a tensioned area of San Sebastian, in the terms provided by the Housing Law; not adopt measures of demolition of urban funds;
According to the coordinator, these problems are not specific but “the result and example of a general and endemic problem we have in the city”. They stressed that the public budget and the municipal authorities are systematically “in favour of particular economic interests” and denounced that “they want to sell San Sebastian in a dangerous and irreversible manner”.
Forthcoming calls
Two calls have been announced at the end of the demonstration. The first will be Monday at the Okendo Cultural Center. At 19:00 Eider Gotxi will offer a conference on the new Guggenheim in Urdaibai. And secondly, next Saturday, June 1, an annual tribute will be paid to Gladys. At 11:30 a bike ride will be made on the Boulevard and the tribute will take place at 12:00 at the entrance of the Gladys Enea Park.
