About 150 tents filled Madrid’s Puerta del Sol on Sunday as protesters camped for a second night over the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen. They said they would stay until at least Tuesday, when the Spanish government is due to meet.
Maricarmen had lived in the same Madrid flat for around 70 years, after her father rented it in 1956. The Madrid Tenants’ Union says an investment fund later acquired the property and raised her rent from €500 to €2,650, then reduced it to €1,650. Police evicted her on Wednesday after several attempts; she was taken to hospital after becoming exhausted during the operation.
The Bank of Spain estimated a shortage of around 550,000 homes last year. Public subsidised rental housing accounts for less than 2% of Spain’s housing stock, compared with an EU average of 8%. Authorities estimated Saturday’s march drew around 25,000 people, while the Madrid Tenants’ Union put attendance at more than 300,000.
