Palma Takes Action: Son Banya to Be Evicted – Court Confirms Municipal Ownership

Court Rules in Palma – Son Banya Faces Eviction Once Again

On the morning of October 15, a court in Palma ruled that the Son Banya site is lawfully owned by the city. The judges thus confirmed what City Hall representatives have claimed for years: the parcels belong to the Palma Municipality, and the huts currently inhabited there stand without a lease.

For many residents the decision is not a sudden shock, but another step in a long, stubborn legal process. Those in Palma who take the bus to work in the morning have long seen Son Banya in the headlines: raids, drug findings, temporary huts on Calle 3, cardboard boxes and sometimes burning tires.

What the verdict means in practice

The court orders eviction within a set deadline. If voluntary handover does not occur, enforcement is available to the city. That is legally clear — politically difficult: authorities must simultaneously decide who will shelter the people who will have no roof after the eviction.

From the town hall's side, the area has been municipal property since the 1970s. Legally, this strengthens the city's instruments to prevent lasting illegal occupations. Still, the question remains how to handle the social consequences. A shelter here, a social worker there — that is not always enough.

One must not forget: behind the sober wording “eviction” lie people, habits, and a network built up over years. In recent months police actions have disrupted some structures, but just as often new connections formed. Neighbors in the surrounding area report nightly comings and goings, cars with tinted windows, and deliveries that no one could quite explain.

Between law and reality

The court's decision is legally unambiguous, but reality is messier. There are voices calling to tear down the building debris and create parking spaces or social housing. Others warn that a mere eviction will only shift the problem — not solve it. In front of a cafe at Plaça d'Espanya I heard this morning voices saying: “Finally the city acts,” and others speculated: “Where will the people go then?”

Politically, the verdict is a tool: Palma can now systematically enforce ownership claims. Humanly, it is a call to act: those who evict must also offer prospects. Exactly this will show in the coming weeks whether the decision is more than a legal point on paper.

The situation remains tense. I will continue reporting on-site as soon as concrete eviction dates or support measures become known.