Police in Madrid dismantled the tent camp set up by protesters against housing policy at Puerta del Sol. During the operation, 334 people were evacuated and two were detained for disobedience, the Government Delegation in Madrid announced.
The operation involved 220 National Police officers and 180 municipal police officers, as well as firefighters and public services. Authorities said the evacuation took place without incidents or acts of violence.
“The operation was carried out without any violence or disruption of public order,” the Government Delegation in Madrid said.However, the protest organizers gave a different assessment of what happened. In a message on the Telegram app, they condemned the “violent police intervention” and said that several people had been injured during the operation. So far, there has been no official confirmation from the authorities regarding the number or condition of those reportedly injured.
The camp had existed for more than five weeks
The protest camp was established on September 26 following demonstrations against the housing crisis in Spain. Puerta del Sol, one of Madrid’s most visited tourist locations, was partially cordoned off before the evacuation.
The protest followed the forced eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her home. She had lived in her Madrid residence for decades and died several days after being evicted. The case sparked a public outcry and brought the housing crisis back to the center of the political debate.
The housing crisis led to a political crisis
The Spanish government failed to pass two bills aimed at curbing problems in the housing market. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez then called for snap general elections on November 29.
The evacuation of the camp removes the protest presence from the central Madrid square, but it does not end the dispute over forced evictions, housing prices and tenant protection. The conflicting assessments by the authorities and organizers of the police operation are likely to remain part of the public and political debate ahead of the election.
Sources: bta.bg, efe.com, europapress.es