from the Barcelona Sin Papeles Communications Group:

Wednesday 9 June at 6pm, about 1000 "sans-papiers" [people without papers] met in Plaza Cataluña in Barcelona responding to a call of the "Asamblea por la regularización sin condiciones (ARSC)" [Assembly for the regularization without conditions]. After two hours of discussions and debates the assembly marched in a demonstration to Place Jaume 1 (where the town hall of Barcelona is located). The ARSC called "sans-papiers" and people supporting them to a night of reflexions about the actions to be carried out in the following week. This night will start on Friday evening at 6pm in Plaza Cataluña, just before the reflexion day of the European voters. The assembly publicly asked that a place will be at their disposal to accomodate all those who will want to take part at this night of reflexion.

The occupation of the cathedral and the expulsion of the occupants by the police force caused a significant debate in the Spanish society. To the situation of sans-papiers was added the debate on the renewal of the residence permits. With the new "ley of extranjeria" [law on foreigners] the renewal of the residence permits is not automatic any more. The holders of residence permit can take an appointment two months before the expiry of their chart. In general, they obtain an appointment only four months or six months afterwards. They thus find themselves for two to four months without valid residency title and in impossibility of travelling, of working or of finding work. And the day of the renewal, they are requested to prove that they work. But by that time, their residency permit has already run out, so working would be illegal, i.e. they are simply likely to lose their residence permits. The newspapers seized the question and the government does not cease guaranteeing flexibility, comprehension, retroactivity, and effectiveness. In addition to the real inefficiency of the administration, this system of renewal keeps the foreigners in a situation of permanent instability. As much as it is increasingly difficult to obtain the right to stay, as much it is increasingly easy to lose it.