Housing Protests Turn Violent in Spain Amid Nationwide Strike

MADRID, Nov 12 (OPA) — Protesters smashed storefronts, set fire to garbage bins, and launched fireworks at armored police vans as demonstrations turned destructive in Barcelona and Madrid. Officers deployed pepper spray and made dozens of arrests to disperse crowds. The nationwide walkout, organized under the slogan 'Salaries. Housing. Prices,' shuttered businesses and halted public transportation across multiple cities.

Public outrage intensified following the September 23 eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal, who was removed from her Madrid apartment of more than 70 years after facing a 275 percent rent increase. Abascal was hospitalized after being carried out on a stretcher and died on October 7. The Madrid Tenants' Union called her case a turning point. Spanish government officials estimated that 120,000 people marched in Madrid, while housing activists in Barcelona claimed 400,000 participants filled the streets behind a banner reading 'Live. Not Just Survive.'

The protests follow the rejection of emergency housing measures in parliament after Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government suffered a major legislative defeat. Average rents in Spain have nearly doubled over the past decade, severely cutting into household budgets. Demonstrators are demanding automatic lease renewals, increased public housing construction, and higher minimum wages to combat the affordability crisis.

Protesters and commuters expressed deep frustration with parliamentary inaction, arguing that radical measures are necessary to force authorities to address the housing shortage. While unions and activists press for immediate legislative intervention, political leaders face mounting pressure to stabilize the real estate market and prevent further social unrest.