Teachers in Barcelona have blocked access to the Sagrada Familia during a new day of teacher strikes in Catalonia, which forced the site to close for two hours to ensure the safety of visitors and teachers, sources from the basilica told La Vanguardia. The teachers had “restricted” access to visitors, so the temple could not open at 9 a.m. at its usual time.
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Just over a hundred teachers had gathered from early morning in front of the Sagrada Familia site, in a new day of protests in Barcelona, l’Hospitalet, Badalona, and Santa Coloma de Gramenet.
In the Catalan capital, several hundred of them wanted to start the day of mobilizations with a sit-in in front of the temple designed by Antoni Gaudí, followed by a blockade that prevented access to the expiatory temple. The blockade of the most important monument in the city of Barcelona and one of the busiest places was carried out after a sit-in on the Nativity facade. Sources from the temple have assured that they will refund the money to those who ultimately could not access the site.
Class in front of the Sagrada Familia
The gathered teachers staged an outdoor class with chairs and desks as an open classroom to demand improvements in working and salary conditions in the sector. Among the demands, the teachers and educators lament “overcrowded” classrooms, the failure of inclusive schooling, lack of investment, and salaries they consider stagnant, according to the majority union Ustec·Stes. in front of the expiatory temple.
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The Mossos d’Esquadra have deployed a device with vans and riot police at the entrance where the sit-in is located and some corners of the temple perimeter. They have identified at least one of the participants in the protest and confiscated pyrotechnic material from them.
In parallel to this protest, a human chain has transported chairs and tables from La Sedeta school to the doors of the Sagrada Familia. A gathering of teachers is also planned at 12 noon in els Jardinets de Gràcia.
The action was part of the strike day in Barcelonès, on a Monday that marks the start of a new week of stoppages in the education sector. The protesters wear yellow shirts and chant against the educational policy of the Govern and the Minister of Education, Esther Niubó. “Niubó, Niubó, you really get paid too much” has been one of the slogans. There is a large police deployment in the area. Meanwhile, dozens more people form a human chain between La Sedeta school and the temple, carrying school tables and chairs to the Sagrada Família, in anticipation of carrying out a protest action.
