Valencia's educational encampment leaves Plaza de la Virgen

The protesting teachers dismantle their camp after nine days of activities and voting to suspend the indefinite strike.

Generic image of a Valencian square at night.
IA

Generic image of a Valencian square at night.

After nine days of activities and coexistence, the educational encampment in Valencia's Plaza de la Virgen has ended today, following a majority vote to suspend the indefinite strike.

The tents, awnings, and green t-shirts that had become a common sight in València's Plaza de la Virgen for nine days, along with parallel activities like concerts and paellas, are being removed. The protesting teachers have decided to dismantle the camp after a majority vote to suspend the indefinite strike, which began on May 11.
According to the organizers, the encampment initiative was born as a way to take the educational conflict a step further, challenging the limits imposed by the Conselleria d'Educació (Regional Ministry of Education). Their goal was to focus on the need for effective negotiation and to create a common space to prefigure desired social relations and schools, becoming a 'shared home' for fighting teachers.
During their stay in the square, they organized conferences, talks, debates, banner-making workshops, sports, and concerts. They believe that, for now, the space has fulfilled its purpose and that they have contributed to the 'partial achievements' resulting from the indefinite strike. However, they are aware that there is 'a long road ahead' to advocate for the needs of public education and build a transformative public education system.
They describe these nearly two weeks as a time of 'shared joy, daily activism, coexistence, and respect,' expressing gratitude for the support and solidarity received from society. They encourage teachers to maintain collective momentum and continue organizing through assemblies, asserting that the 'educational revolt has only just begun' and that they will meet 'again, in the squares; we will meet, as always, in the streets'.