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Date Published: 12/09/2024

10 years on, a Spanish court has absolved protestors who tried to stop illegal hotel in Almeria

There is justice at last for the 28 protestors who tried to stop a Spanish company from building an illegal hotel on protected land

Twenty-eight wrongly accused Greenpeace activists have been acquitted of any wrongdoing over their part in an action protesting against the illegal El Algarrobico hotel in Almería in 2014.

Building on the hotel in Carboneras, located on the Mediterranean coast, began in 2003 but was halted in 2006 as it is within the bounds of the protected Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park.

Although the land has since been classed as ‘undevelopable’ by the local authorities, allowing the building to be knocked down, as of 2024 the so-called ‘Ghost Hotel’ still stands.

As far back as 10 years ago, Greenpeace were denouncing this travesty of justice, that “the construction of this hotel was illegal, and should never have been built in one of the most valuable areas of our coast”.

When activist tried to make this known, they were charged with the alleged crime of disobedience. The developer of the illegal hotel, Azata del Sol, asked for a 24-month fine and a prison sentence of 1 year for each activist, as well as 186,703 euros in civil liability for the damage supposedly caused to the hotel.

Now, though, an Almería court has made it clear that there is no evidence that the Greenpeace activists forced their way into the hotel or that they caused damage to its façade, as alleged.

Moreover, this new judgement comes on top of more than 40 other court rulings that prove the ecowarriors were in the right all along, that the El Algarrobico hotel should have been history long ago and those responsible should “pay for the damage and restore the ecosystem”.

The real damage is the damage caused by this illegal hotel in one of the most important natural areas of the Mediterranean coast,” said Greenpeace in a statement.

“We have been waiting 10 years for this great news and hopefully soon... this illegal hotel will be demolished and become history,” they concluded.

Image: Greenpeace

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