Thousands of people marched through Madrid on Saturday to protest Spain’s housing crisis following the eviction of an 87 year old woman from her home of over seven decades.
The protest was triggered by the eviction of María del Carmen Abascal, popularly known as Maricarmen, from her apartment in the upscale Retiro neighbourhood last Wednesday. She was carried out on a stretcher as protesters and supporters gathered outside.
Abascal’s family first rented the property in 1956, and she continued living there after her parents died under a rent cap. The building changed ownership in 2018, and an investment fund, Urbagestión, later acquired her unit and raised her monthly rent from 500 euros (about $570) to 2,650 euros, before reducing it to 1,650 euros. The amount was still unaffordable on her pension, according to the Madrid Tenants’ Union.
Courts had blocked three previous attempts to evict her. Her latest eviction has now made her a symbol of Spain’s housing crisis.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets, demanding stronger tenant protections, anti-fraud measures, and a ban on evictions where no alternative housing is available. Many protesters camped overnight in Madrid’s historic Puerta del Sol plaza, saying they would remain until the government acts.
“The housing situation is unsustainable. We are all out on the street because we are fed up,” said Natalia Navarro, a 27 year old actress who joined the camp out.
Alicia del Río, spokesperson for the Madrid Tenants’ Union which organised the protest, said, “The wave of indignation and anger that has been unleashed is now unstoppable.”
Spain’s Socialist led government is expected to announce new housing measures at its cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
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