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The encampment for the right to housing that had been set up in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol for more than five weeks was dismantled early on Tuesday, less than a month before Spain’s general election. A bulldozer and other machinery were seen clearing the tents from the tourist square, while white‑clad workers in overalls cleaned the area, which was largely closed off by security forces, according to an AFP correspondent. The Government Delegation in Madrid issued a statement saying the operation “was carried out without disturbances or episodes of violence” and reported that 334 people were evicted and two were detained for “disobedience and resistance to authority.” Organisers of the protest, however, said the police intervention was violent, claiming several people were injured by blows and pepper spray. “At 3 a.m. about 200 riot police came in with batons. They took us out, hit us, and didn’t let us take anything out of the tents,” said Flor, a 43‑year‑old homeless woman who had lived in the camp since its start on September 26. She told AFP that she had lost all her documents and phone, and that she was “very sad.” The encampment had provided shelter for many homeless people, as well as activists and demonstrators, in a cluster of hundreds of tents that included a communal kitchen, a library and a small infirmary. The eviction operation involved 220 National Police officers, 180 Madrid City Police officers, firefighters and social services staff, according to the Delegation. The protest came amid a broader housing crisis in Spain. President Pedro Sánchez called a snap election for November 29 after failing to secure parliamentary approval for two housing‑reform bills. In Madrid, the cost of renting a 50‑square‑metre apartment averaged €1,170 per month in October, roughly half the average gross salary, according to the real‑estate portal Idealista. The city was ranked by the Barnes Group as the most desirable luxury‑real‑estate market in 2025 and 2026. Housing shortages are driven by sustained immigration, the rise of short‑term rentals and a lack of construction due to labour shortages and other factors. The Bank of Spain reports a deficit of 700,000 homes in a country of about 50 million people. Property owners argue for stronger legal guarantees and note that evictions of tenants who fail to pay rent can take months or even years. Article source: El Nuevo Diario | Image credit: El Nuevo Diario
The encampment for the right to housing that had been set up in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol for more than five weeks was dismantled early on Tuesday, less than a month before Spain’s general election. A bulldozer and other machinery were seen clearing the tents from the tourist square, while white‑clad workers in overalls cleaned the area, which was largely closed off by security forces, according to an AFP correspondent. The Government Delegation in Madrid issued a statement saying the operation “was carried out without disturbances or episodes of violence” and reported that 334 people were evicted and two were detained for “disobedience and resistance to authority.” Organisers of the protest, however, said the police intervention was violent, claiming several people were injured by blows and pepper spray. “At 3 a.m. about 200 riot police came in with batons. They took us out, hit us, and didn’t let us take anything out of the tents,” said Flor, a 43‑year‑old homeless woman who had lived in the camp since its start on September 26. She told AFP that she had lost all her documents and phone, and that she was “very sad.” The encampment had provided shelter for many homeless people, as well as activists and demonstrators, in a cluster of hundreds of tents that included a communal kitchen, a library and a small infirmary. The eviction operation involved 220 National Police officers, 180 Madrid City Police officers, firefighters and social services staff, according to the Delegation. The protest came amid a broader housing crisis in Spain. President Pedro Sánchez called a snap election for November 29 after failing to secure parliamentary approval for two housing‑reform bills. In Madrid, the cost of renting a 50‑square‑metre apartment averaged €1,170 per month in October, roughly half the average gross salary, according to the real‑estate portal Idealista. The city was ranked by the Barnes Group as the most desirable luxury‑real‑estate market in 2025 and 2026. Housing shortages are driven by sustained immigration, the rise of short‑term rentals and a lack of construction due to labour shortages and other factors. The Bank of Spain reports a deficit of 700,000 homes in a country of about 50 million people. Property owners argue for stronger legal guarantees and note that evictions of tenants who fail to pay rent can take months or even years.
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