Alex Trelinski
AROUND 50 people protested outside a campsite in the Cartagena area of Murcia after a British resident allegedly took her life on Friday because she was worried about her future there.
Sunday’s demonstration involved members of the Cala Morena Association.
They waved banners outside the gates of the El Portus campsite- demanding justice for Margaret Stewart, 82.
Margaret lived with her 89-year-old husband, Collin, at the naturist site for 36 years, and had sunk all their money into their home.
Her body was discovered inside their property on Friday evening with the Guardia Civil investigating the circumstances behind her death.
Protestors claimed her mental state had suffered due to the pressure of not knowing whether they could stay much longer at El Portus.
Problems started two years ago when the site was bought by Newtown Capital S.L.
The total of 400 long-term residents at the end of 2023 has now dwindled to just 20 with accusations of ‘flush outs’ via illegal tactics and access restrictions plus properties being demolished for no good reason.
Environmentalists claim new replacement modular homes have had a negative impact on the area- something denied by Newtown Capital who emphasised that all the changes were legal.
There have also been accusations about violence used against residents.
Newtown refuted such comments saying there have been ‘no forced evictions’ or ‘violence’.
As for the problems faced by the Stewarts, a friend of theirs, Miguel Alamagro, said they suffered water and electricity cuts ‘for days’ at a time.
They also lived in ‘constant fear’ that access to their home would be barred if they went out.
Protestor and former campsite resident, Javier Suarez, said Cartagena City Council passed a motion in November 2023 to mediate between Newtown and the residents, but nothing happened.
“In the end there had to be a death and we don’t know what has to happen for this to be solved,” Suarez said.
The council pointed out that the Stewarts had rejected help on three occasions from their social services department to find new accommodation.
Suarez commented: “That was the solution put forward but did they really want to go somewhere that did not belong to them?”
“They just wanted to stay in their home and for someone to explain to them why they had to move.”
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