Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Spain to demand action against the severe housing crisis and a reduction in soaring rents. High tensions flared during these protests on Saturday in cities across the country, including the capital, Madrid.
Police fired rubber bullets to bring the situation under control and detained three members of a far-right group after they attempted to attack protesters gathered at Madrid’s central Puerta del Sol square; this was reported by the news agency Reuters.
The government stated that approximately 70,000 people participated in the protest in Madrid alone. Public outrage had previously been ignited by the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her home in the capital. Although urgent housing-related bills were introduced in parliament to address the situation, they failed to pass on Friday. Clashes between police and protesters also broke out in the southeastern city of Valencia.
While peaceful protests took place in at least 50 other cities, the event scheduled for Barcelona was postponed due to heavy rain. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez faces a political crisis following the parliamentary rejection of the housing reform bill. Local media reports suggest that, in light of the intensity of Saturday’s mass protests, the Prime Minister may decide to call early national elections this coming November.
