28 individuals acquitted over El Algarrobico Greenpeace protest

The Criminal Court 3 of Almeria has acquitted 28 individuals accused of damaging the facade of the controversial El Algarrobico hotel during a Greenpeace protest in May 2014. 

The protest involved painting the words “Illegal hotel” on the building in Carboneras. 

28 individuals acquitted over El Algarrobico Greenpeace protest

According to the hotel owners, the action caused significant damage, and they sought a 24-month fine, at a rate of €6 per day, a total of €1,080 for each of the accused, in addition to €186,703 in civil damages, and a one-year prison sentence for each defendant.

Greenpeace Spain’s director, Eva Saldaña, celebrated the ruling, stating, “We celebrate that all the people have been acquitted.”

“This new sentence confirms that El Algarrobico should have gone down in history a long time ago,” Saldaña says, adding that “Those responsible should pay for the damage and restore the ecosystem.” 

Eva Saldaña emphasised the importance of protests in defending environmental causes and vowed that Greenpeace would continue its activism: “They will not silence us.”

Court found no proof the accused damaged the facade of the El Algarrobico hotel

The court found that no crime had been committed because it could not be proven that the accused were responsible for painting the hotel. 

The ruling upheld the presumption of innocence, stating that it had not been established that any of the accused accessed the hotel by force or defied Guardia Civil orders. 

The prosecution argued that the defendants had been identified on a nearby beach, but there was no evidence they were inside the hotel.

Greenpeace has hailed this ruling as another victory in their long-standing battle to demolish El Algarrobico. 

The environmental organisation claims the court’s decision is just one of more than 40 legal resolutions declaring the hotel’s construction “illegal.” 

The El Algarrobico hotel has been a controversial construction

Built by Azata del Sol in the protected Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park, the hotel has been a focal point of environmental protests for two decades and yet, despite numerous court rulings, the demolition of the hotel remains uncertain, with no date set.

The case may continue if the hotel’s owners, Azata, decide to appeal the acquittal. 

Meanwhile, Greenpeace remains committed to its goal of restoring the area’s ecosystem, maintaining that the hotel violates environmental laws. 

This legal battle is a significant chapter in Spain’s ongoing conflict between development and environmental conservation.

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