Rome, Italy — A sweltering heatwave has intensified the plight of over 300 people, including families and vulnerable individuals, who have been camped on the streets outside Rome’s Termini station. This group, once residents of the seven-story Spin Time building, have been displaced since a small fire prompted their eviction on July 29.
The former office block, a squatted building since 2013, had become a sanctuary for 140 families from over 20 countries, advocating for housing as a fundamental right. Ana Bizdoaca, a resident since 2013, speaks of the hardship endured since the eviction, with temperatures soaring past 40 degrees Celsius (104F). “Our hearts have been torn to pieces,” she says, having missed sleep for nine consecutive nights.
The Spin Time community, which included a free co — working space, a newspaper, and cultural events, has become a tight-knit family, as described by Maria Cabrera, who has lived in the building for almost 11 years and helps organize the camp.
The residents’ situation has drawn support from notable figures, including Nobel Prize-winning physicist Giorgio Parisi, who wrote a letter advocating for their cause. Despite the city’s offer to buy the building from InvestiRE SGR and facilitate a temporary return while the sale was processed, Mayor Roberto Gualtieri announced on television that the offer had been rejected.
The city is now exploring alternative housing solutions, with the first housing assignments expected within 60 days for qualifying households.
However, activists among the residents plan to maintain their sit — in to pressure the local government. InvestiRE SGR, which manages the building, confirmed that it does not meet safety standards after 13 years of occupation, which legally precludes transferring possession to the city.
The company has expressed willingness to continue talks toward a sale.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: aljazeera
