Police have cleared the remaining occupants and tents from a housing protest camp in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, bringing an end to a five-week occupation of the central square. The operation took place early on Tuesday 3 November, after some of the camp’s main organisers had begun to withdraw.
The Spanish government’s delegation in Madrid said 334 people were removed and two were arrested. The operation began at about 3am local time and involved around 400 national and municipal police officers, as well as firefighters and social services.
After police closed off much of the square, municipal workers cleared away tents, tarpaulins and other material. The site had been a visible gathering place for people demanding action over rents, housing shortages and evictions.
Protest organisers accused police of carrying out a violent operation and said some campers were injured. The government delegation said the clearance had taken place without violence or disturbances. The accounts differ over how the operation was carried out.
From an eviction to a camp
The encampment began on 26 September after the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her Madrid home. She died later. Her eviction prompted protests across Spain and drew attention to the pressure many renters face in finding and keeping a home.
Over the following weeks, the camp grew beyond a collection of tents. It had a canteen, a clinic and a meeting space, while other areas were used for distributing food and organising activities. Similar camps appeared in other Spanish cities, including Barcelona, Seville and Valencia.
Before the clearance, most of the committees organising the Madrid camp had announced a gradual withdrawal from the square. They said they wanted to move their activity into neighbourhoods and prepare for a general strike called for 11 November. Not everyone at the camp agreed to leave at the same time.
The government’s Madrid delegation said it had written to the campers on 26 October about bringing the protest to an end, and on 29 October requested that the camp be dismantled. It described the police operation as a last resort after what it called a gradual process of communication with participants.
The delegation also said many of the overnight stays at the camp involved homeless people or other vulnerable groups. Social services joined the clearance operation, but it is not clear what housing arrangements were made for everyone who was removed.
The wider housing dispute
The protest developed as housing became a major political issue in Spain. In early October, parliament rejected two government housing decrees. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez then called an early general election for 29 November and his government approved two revised housing decrees on 6 October.
The measures set out by the government included protections against eviction for some vulnerable people without alternative housing, subject to conditions and exceptions. They also included rules on temporary and room-by-room rentals. The government said the measures were intended to protect tenants and improve access to affordable homes.
A separate decree addressed the renewal of ordinary residential tenancies. When the government announced it in October, ministers said it would take effect on 15 November if endorsed by the smaller body of lawmakers continuing to sit after parliament was dissolved. Approval by the cabinet and parliamentary endorsement are distinct steps.
There are different views on how to tackle the shortage. The government has argued for stronger protections and limits on practices it regards as speculative. A representative of Madrid property developers has argued that the measures could discourage the investment needed to increase housing supply.
Spain’s two largest trade unions have called the 11 November general strike over housing and living costs. It remains a planned action. The clearance removed the tents from Puerta del Sol, but it does not settle the debate over rents, evictions and the supply of affordable homes.
