Housing protests descended into violence in Spain as demonstrators smashed shopfronts, set rubbish bins alight and fired fireworks at police in riot gear and armoured vans.
Tens of thousands took to the streets earlier today in the country’s first general strike in 14 years, protesting soaring rents and property prices nationwide.
Millions of Spanish workers brought businesses and public transport to a standstill under the slogan: ‘Salaries. Housing. Prices.’
The marches were largely peaceful at first, but clashes later erupted in Barcelona and Madrid. Protesters were seen breaking shop windows, while others launched fireworks towards police officers.
Small fires were lit outside shops and rubbish bins were set ablaze as demonstrators confronted riot police. Officers were forced to use pepper spray in some areas.
Police had already made 39 arrests across Spain in connection with strike-related incidents before the late-day clashes began.
Public anger intensified after the eviction of 87-year-old pensioner Maricarmen Abascal on September 23.
Ms Abascal was removed from the Madrid flat she had lived in for more than 70 years after reportedly being unable to pay a sharp rent increase.
Demonstrators burn containers during a protest march held as part of a nationwide general strike in Barcelona on November 11
Police charge outside an Apple Store as unrest breaks out during a nationwide general strike in Barcelona
A protester kicks the door of a shop covered in stickers reading ‘closed due to general strike’
Rioting breaks out across Barcelona after a march that had been largely peaceful
People launch fireworks as protesters clash with riot police during the demonstrations
Riot police confront protesters in Barcelona
Protesters strike a police car with a fence in Barcelona during a 24-hour national general strike
Millions of Spanish workers shut businesses and public transport for the walkout under the slogan ‘Salaries. Housing. Prices.’
Police had made 39 arrests across Spain in strike-related incidents before the late-day clashes in Barcelona
Police also clashed with protesters in Madrid, using pepper spray against crowds in some areas
A protester holds a rubbish bin during clashes with police in Madrid
Police clash with protesters during the country’s first general strike in 14 years
People watch from a shopping centre as police use pepper spray during unrest in Madrid
Police arrest a man on Madrid’s Gran Via during the national strike
Dramatic footage showed the frail grandmother being carried from the property on a stretcher in September, an incident that triggered nationwide protests and a political dispute.
Ms Abascal was taken to hospital after the court-ordered eviction, and her death was announced on Saturday.
‘We regret to announce that Maricarmen passed away today,’ the Madrid Tenants’ Union said, describing her case as ‘a turning point in the history of this country’.
Abascal was carried from the property on September 23 amid a dispute over a proposed 275 per cent rent increase.
Video showed riot police breaking through a barricade made from chairs, shelves and a lamp as supporters tried to stop the court-ordered eviction.
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The protests came after Spain’s Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called a snap election following his government’s major legislative defeat over emergency housing measures.
Average rents in Spain have nearly doubled over the past decade, placing increasing pressure on household finances and angering voters.
Thousands of Spaniards have taken to the streets in recent weeks to demand action on housing affordability, with public frustration sharpened by the widely reported eviction of Ms Abascal.
Parliament later rejected proposed housing reforms, prompting further demonstrations across the country.
Speaking about the failed measures, the Madrid Tenants’ Union said: ‘While a historic agreement was reached that would have allowed her to return to her home, this solution has come too late.
‘An entirely avoidable situation after such a torturous process.’
Government officials estimated that 120,000 people gathered in Madrid despite heavy rain. The strike drew workers and other residents into central Barcelona and Madrid, as well as onto the streets of cities across Spain.
Housing activists said 400,000 people marched through Barcelona, while the city government put the turnout at 55,000. Demonstrators walked behind a huge banner reading: ‘Live. Not Just Survive.’
Protesters are calling for automatic lease renewals to protect renters, among other measures. Trade unions are also demanding more public housing and a new agreement on the minimum wage.
Carlos Ferrer, a 45-year-old customer service worker trying to return to Alicante by train from Barcelona, said that sometimes only ‘radical measures, such as a general strike’ could force change.
‘Authorities need to feel pressure from citizens so they can do something,’ he said.
As evening fell in Madrid, the broad Paseo del Prado became a sea of umbrellas as a large crowd gathered in persistent rain.
Almudena López, 74, said: ‘My son is 43 years old and still does not own a home because he cannot afford one.’
She said her son, who works in IT, was forced to rent a small room in a shared flat.
‘When I was young, having a university degree meant you could find a job and, by saving a little, manage to buy a home. It always involved some sacrifice, but it was possible.
‘It is nothing like that today.’
Anger intensified after the eviction of 87-year-old pensioner Maricarmen Abascal, who was removed from the Madrid flat she had called home for more than 70 years after reportedly being unable to afford a steep rent increase
The strike was organised by Spain’s two traditional major unions, but grassroots housing activists—many of them younger people who have experienced the housing crisis themselves—also played a leading role.
‘This strike is against rent seekers, property speculators, large companies that get rich by selling homes and, of course, every level of government,’ housing activist Valeria Racu told reporters in Madrid.
‘We are here to show that we can set our own agenda, and we will continue doing so regardless of who is in government.’
The unions described the strike as a success, while business organisations said it had made little impact.
‘The strike has exceeded the labour unions’ expectations,’ said Unai Sordo, secretary-general of CCOO, one of the two unions that called the action in a country with 22 million registered workers.
CCOO and UGT, the other major union organising the strike, reported substantial stoppages in key sectors.
They said stoppages reached 90 per cent in the automotive and port sectors, 85 per cent in the meat industry, 82 per cent in waste collection and 75 per cent in the energy sector.
The leading business organisation, CEOE, branded the strike a ‘failure’, saying overall participation was just 5 per cent.
Both sides agreed that participation was stronger in heavy industry and transport, while retail and restaurants saw lower levels of disruption.
Around 5 per cent of flights scheduled for Wednesday were cancelled at airports across Spain, according to the country’s airport operator, AENA.