Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Madrid on Wednesday evening after the death of an 87-year-old woman whose eviction became a symbol of Spain’s housing crisis. Maricarmen Abascal died in hospital on October 7, two weeks after police forcibly removed her from the apartment where she had lived for 71 years. Her eviction followed a lengthy legal dispute with the building’s owners, who had sharply increased her rent. Although negotiations eventually secured an agreement allowing her to return, she remained in hospital and never made it home. Her case sparked demonstrations across Spain demanding affordable housing and stronger protections for tenants. Spain has faced mounting anger over rising rents and housing shortages for years, with protesters taking to Madrid's streets in 2024.
