Spain’s anti-evictions lobby wins EU prize

The PAH received a European Citizens' prize for its work in "fighting for European values," Spanish media reported on Thursday.

The group, headed by Barcelona activist Ada Colau, defends people in Spain who are facing forced evictions from their homes because of an ability to meet their mortgage payments.

The jury for the prize was made up of the Vice Presidents of the European Union Anni Podimata and Othmar Karasel and by the Ex-presidents of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering and Enrique Barón Crespo.

Also on the jury was the President of the European Youth Forum Peter Matjasic.

According to the Parliament, the prize will be handed over in a ceremony in Brussels in October.

The awarding of the prize may surprise some in Spain as the tactics of the PAH have raised controversy in this country.

Most controversially, the PAH have made use of so-called "escraches". These escraches involve the direct targeting of politicians' homes and offices to put greater pressure on them to change policies. 

In Spain, the protests have seen demonstators placing stickers on the doors of ruling Popular Party (PP) politicians or chanting slogans outside their offices.