Thousands Protest Spain Housing Crisis After 87-Year-Old Woman's Eviction in Madrid
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 25
Thousands Protest Spain Housing Crisis After 87-Year-Old Woman's Eviction in Madrid
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 25
Summary
Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Madrid on Saturday and pitched tents in Puerta del Sol, turning outrage over one eviction into a sit-in against Spain’s housing crisis.
María del Carmen Abascal, 87, became the protest’s symbol after police tore down her door to evict her, then urged Spaniards in a hospital-recorded video to “fight” for their homes.
The tenants’ union that shared the video said Abascal was hospitalized after an anxiety episode following Wednesday’s eviction, though her condition was not serious.
Her case has tapped wider anger over rising housing costs, drawing protests in cities across Spain and increasing pressure on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who had pledged to prioritize housing.