Desokupa

Dani Esteve, founder of Desokupa

Desokupa is a Spanish company that carries out evictions of squatters. It was established in 2014.

Business

The company was set up in October 2014 with the corporate name Coexistance [sic] and Respect S. L., with an address in Barcelona. Its founder is Dani Esteve, a qualified security guard since 1999. In April 2016, the company dissolved itself due to demands for debts to the Treasury. It was re-established in July 2016 as Conciencia y Respeto 1970 S. L..[1]

In October 2022, it was announced that Desokupa offered consulting advice to 15 city councils on how to deal with squatters, for an annual fee of €3,000. Esteve said that he had offered such services for four years to councils across Spain, including two run by the far-left Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) in Catalonia who could not reveal their identity due to possible reprisals. Esteve said that he supported the anti-immigration policy of Vox, but also had views in favour of animal rights.[2]

In the 2022 financial year, Desokupa reported income of €880,000, and Esteve received a salary of €180,000.[3]

Politics

During the 2023 Barcelona City Council election, Desokupa protested against left-wing mayor Ada Colau. Esteve had predicted that hundreds of thousands would demonstrate, but only around 800 did.[4]

In the 2023 Spanish general election campaign, Desokupa erected a billboard showing prime minister Pedro Sánchez in front of a flag of Morocco and an aeroplane, with the slogan "You to Morocco, Desokupa to Moncloa", referring to the prime minister's residence.[5] The billboard was vandalised by opponents of evictions, and Desokupa resolved with the Junta Electoral Central that the billboard was covered by freedom of expression.[6]

In May 2023, Ione Belarra, president of Podemos and minister of social rights and 2030 Agenda, proposed criminalising companies such as Desokupa, with a four-year prison sentence.[7]

References

  1. ^ Jorro, Ignasi (5 June 2023). "Dani Esteve cerró la primera Desokupa para evitar embargos" [Dani Esteve closed down the first Desokupa to avoid sanctions]. El Español (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  2. ^ Farnós, A. (19 October 2022). "El nuevo negocio de Desokupa: "Trabajamos con 15 ayuntamientos, dos son de la CUP"" [Desokupa's new business: "We work with 15 city councils, two of which are from the CUP"]. El Confidencial (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  3. ^ Carranco, Rebeca; Viejo, Manuel. "Desokupa, un lucrativo negocio cimentado en las redes sociales" [Desokupa, a lucrative business cemented on social networks]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  4. ^ Congostrina, Alfonso L.; Carranco, Rebeca (25 May 2023). "La manifestación de Desokupa contra Colau pincha y concentra a 800 personas" [Desokupa's demonstration against Colau bursts and attracts 800 people]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  5. ^ "Desokupa cuelga una lona en Atocha contra Sánchez: "Tú a Marruecos, Desokupa a la Moncloa"" [Desokupa erects a billboard in Atocha against Sánchez: "You to Morocco, Desokupa to Moncloa"]. El Economista (in Spanish). 3 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  6. ^ Olaizola, Beatriz (7 July 2023). "Desokupa mantiene la lona contra Sánchez en Madrid tras resolver la Junta Electoral que está amparada por la libertad de expresión" [Desokupa keeps the billboard against Sánchez in Madrid after resolving with the Junta Electoral that it is covered by freedom of expression]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  7. ^ "Belarra anuncia una reforma del Código Penal para perseguir a empresas 'desokupas'" [Belarra announces a reform of the Penal Code to prosecute 'Desokupa' companies]. El País (in Spanish). 18 May 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
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