The first known squatters in the history of Spanish democracy appeared in December 1984 in Barcelona. However, the occupation lasted only a couple of hours as they were almost immediately evicted by the police. When the attempt came to light, it inspired many other young Spaniards to occupy houses in Pamplona, Bilbao, Madrid, and Valencia. During this era, the "okupa movement" was largely associated with the punk culture that was popular in the 80s. The movement is primarily related to young anti-capitalist individuals who occupy houses as an act of protest for their rights. Some of the larger buildings are used for political organizations, art exhibitions, and theater performances. Others function like bars, serving beer and playing music. Many squatters consider themselves anarchists, drawing inspiration from Barcelona's far-left labor unions of the Spanish Civil War.
