87-year-old woman's eviction from Madrid apartment sparks protest against Spain's housing crisis
Tens of thousands of protesters marched in Madrid to demand housing reforms following the controversial eviction of an 87-year-old woman. The demonstration highlights growing public anger over rising rents and the influence of investment funds in the Spanish housing market.
Why it matters
The protest reflects a broader European housing crisis where rising costs and corporate ownership are increasingly clashing with tenant rights and social stability.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Madrid on Saturday to protest against Spain’s housing crisis and ask for protective measures for tenants, anti-fraud rules, and a ban on evictions without alternative housing.
The protest came in reaction to the dramatic eviction on Wednesday of an 87-year-old woman from the Madrid apartment she had lived in for decades.
“We’re here because housing is a problem that already affects all of society, all ages and classes,” said protester Dora Garcia, a 55-year-old nurse. “And we can’t keep maintaining this. Housing is a right and we don’t have it.”
Taken out of her home on a stretcher in the upscale Retiro neighborhood, María del Carmen Abascal was greeted by protesters and supporters as she was loaded into an ambulance.
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