Donostia-San Sebastian City Hall Bans Street Solidary Dinners for "Security Reasons"
- The collective of Dinners Solidarias de Calle de Donostia-San Sebastián will not be able to eat from Thursday. This was communicated by the agents to the organizers verbally on Wednesday night, claiming that they do not have permission and that it is the decision of the City Hall of Donostia. On Wednesday morning, Councilor for Citizen Security, Martin Ibabe, explained to the media: "The only and exclusive reason is the security problem that is occurring in the area," he added.
The Local Police has informed the members of the Street Solidary Dinners (KAS) group that they will not be able to give street meals as of Thursday. Irutxuloko Hitza received the time of the notification. The Municipal Police has sent solidarity entrepreneurs that the decision of the City Hall of Donostia-San Sebastián is "a public space" and that they do not have the authorization to do so.
As explained by the Jon Barandiaran group member in the same way, the police have asked for a ban letter, but they have replied that it is a "verbal order".
The KAS has been feeding for four years in Amara, Egia and Casco Viejo, with the aim of ensuring this basic need for street people, and distributes about 250 meals per night. BARANDIARAN said on behalf of the group that until now the City Council has given them "a tacit permit": "So far we have not been objected, we don't know why today."
On Thursday morning the City Council of Donostia-San
Sebastian explained the municipal ban on housing. The Councillor for Citizen Security, Martin Ibabe, has made statements to the media regarding the crime of the case. "The only and exclusive reason why we are moving is the security problem that is occurring in that area," he explained.
Ibabe has stated that the Ertzaintza and the Municipal Police have "long" been monitoring the environment and that since 2022 the data points to a "growth in criminal activity". The ban, he said, "has nothing to do with the distribution of food" in the Basque Country. Complaints have also been received from citizens, as explained by the mayor of the Biscay town.
Pressure on the right
KAS has denounced that in recent months the right has launched a campaign against it. In the same place where the dinners were distributed last Monday, in the neighborhood of Egia, citizens met who made an appeal from the social networks claiming lack of "security" and in which were present pp councilors. It is precisely this party that has repeatedly called for an end to the solidary dinners being held on the street.
"So far we have no objection, today we don't know why."
The KAS defines this initiative as a "solidarity, community and collective action", which, as explained in a statement, "in recent times SOS is adding to a disaster situation". The group has denounced that using Instagram and Telegram channels and demanding "security" in Donostia-San Sebastian, a group of citizens has put KAS "in the spotlight": "Needless to say, the KAS does not have that vision and that vision of safety," he explained. They claim that through social media there is an attempt to "signal, insult and criminalize" the members of the KAS.
They have also explained that during these four years they have met with those responsible for the Social Services of the City of Donostia-San Sebastián to give "a comprehensive solution" to the people who are on the street and guarantee the right to food. In this sense, he explained that they were offered "help" for this, but that the City Council "did not take into account any claims".
Today press conference
Following the ban, the KAS will hold a press conference on Plaza Teresa de Caleta on Thursday to denounce what has happened and make a public reading of what has happened. However, the communiqué, issued as soon as possible after the ban, states that: "The KAS did not obstruct the concentration, the KAS did not convene counter concentrations, the KAS did not seek confrontations, the KAS did not want confrontations, the KAS will not prevent concentrations that comply with Human Rights, the KAS has firmly stated that it will denounce any concentration of people that violate Human Rights and Councilor KAShas not concentrated."
In this first communiqué, they pointed out that they will continue with the Solidary Dinners on the street, as "this is not an action that questions security but the food security of people through solidarity".
They have explained that they do not yet know whether the ban affects not only the meals of Egia, but also those that are distributed from this Thursday in Amara and Old Party.
Gasteizko Errotako (Koroatze) auzoan izan diren manifestazio "anonimoek" kolokan jarri dute auzokoen arteko elkarbizitza. Azalera atera dituzte ere hauetan parte hartu duten partidu politiko batzuen eta beste kide batzuen izaera faxista eta arrazista.
They've brought the megaphone in a hurry and running. This is unacceptable. This cannot be accepted. Let's all scream at once, we can't go on like this. Have you come to your house? Yes, you're right; we applaud you. Next week we will meet here and meet you, yes, sir. And if not,... [+]
