More demolition at the Son Banya shanty town in Palma was undertaken yesterday. Five dwellings were scheduled for demolition, and following last week's disturbances, when the demolition of three dwellings had to be postponed until later in the day, there was a strong police presence.
The chief of Palma police, Josep Palouzie, was among the thirty or so officers from the city's police force. There were also thirty National Police officers. The demolition orders were served first thing, and the police allowed residents to remove all personal effects before the demolition procedure started. One resident of Son Banya who was evident yesterday was the drugs matriarch La Paca. She drove in to Son Banya around ten o'clock and carried bags of shopping from her car. One of the five shanties scheduled for demolition yesterday was that of her son, the equally notorious El Ico.
A town hall official who was not in attendance yesterday was the director-general of social welfare, Joan Antoni Salas. He was a particular target for protesters last week, when their grievances degenerated into threats and stone-throwing.
Son Banya residents had attempted to gain access to the town hall's council session last week but were prevented from doing so by a police cordon. On Tuesday, they returned and were eventually able to speak to the social welfare councillor Mercè Borràs. They asked for a postponement of further demolitions at least until a planned meeting with the mayor, Antoni Noguera, takes place on 11 October. Borràs confirmed that yesterday's demolitions would still go ahead.
Later on Tuesday, there was further tension in Son Banya when reporters turned up. They had been invited by the lawyer representing residents affected by the demolitions. Some were denied entrance by certain residents, who only admitted reporters from media outlets they consider to have helped them. A taxi being used by Television Española was attacked and a window broken by a stone.
A representative of the residents yesterday made a public apology for the attack on reporters, saying that it was the work of four young "hotheads". She added that residents want public opinion on their side.