The Government Delegation in Madrid sent last Monday a letter to the representatives of the encampment in Puerta del Sol in which it encourages them to dismantle the camp, considering that a "reasonable time" has already passed since its start and that the conditions and demands of the protest "have changed".
Sources from the Government Delegation consulted by Europa Press specify that this was one of the last decisions adopted by Francisco Martín before submitting his resignation, although they stress that it conforms to the organism’s usual line of action and is shared by the new delegate, Pilar Trinidad.
In the letter, sent to the people identified as interlocutors of the encampment, the institution recalls that from the very beginning it focused on guaranteeing the fundamental right of assembly and demonstration. Nevertheless, it stresses that, once "a reasonable time" has been exceeded, it considers it necessary to "put an end" to the encampment in Sol.
The camp arose as an extension of a demonstration in defense of the right to housing and against evictions, promoted by the Sindicato de Inquilinas. However, more than a month later, the presence of these promoters is no longer noticeable, the perimeter of the encampment has been reinforced and, according to the Delegation, "the circumstances have changed".
During these weeks, the Government Delegation has tried to make compatible respect for the right of assembly with the other uses of public space. It considers that, once the message and claims of the encamped protesters have managed to resonate in public opinion, the time has come to bring the permanent protest in the square to an end.
In one of his last appearances before the media before leaving office, Martín admitted that people in a situation of homelessness were staying at the encampment, so he asked the Madrid City Council to intervene and put in place the necessary measures to attend to these people.
The letter becomes public when the encamped protesters have been debating internally for several days whether or not to dismantle the camp, in a Puerta del Sol where the number of tents has been progressively decreasing. On the horizon, the date of the general strike on 11 November looms as a possible moment for the definitive lifting of the encampment.