Maricarmen Abascal, who has lived in the same apartment for 71 years, was removed from the building on a stretcher, escorted by social‑services officials and taken away in an ambulance while supporters shouted, “Maricarmen, you’re not alone!” and “Murderers!”
The eviction followed a court‑ordered deadline that gave her only half an hour to gather essential belongings, after the property was acquired by investment fund Urbagestion, which sought a steep increase in her rent.
Abascal’s lawyer, Beatriz Duro, said court officials and representatives of Urbagestion refused to suspend the eviction despite a pending court filing, humanitarian appeals and evidence that public authorities were working to secure alternative accommodation.
According to Duro, an anonymous individual offered to cover the rent, but the landlord declined to sign a new lease, leaving the tenant with no viable option to stay.
Police officers forcibly cleared protesters blocking the entrance, dragging and pushing demonstrators as they cleared the doorway, a scene witnessed by Reuters reporters on the ground.
The incident has become a flashpoint in Spain’s broader housing affordability crisis, where soaring rents, gentrification and a shortage of affordable homes have heightened social and political tensions. The left‑wing coalition government has advocated stronger tenant protections and wider rent controls, but its proposals have struggled to gain a majority in a divided parliament, while the conservative‑led regional government in Madrid favors a market‑oriented approach.
Activists also invoked the scandal surrounding Madrid’s regional leader, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, over a €6.3 million luxury penthouse, chanting “Ayuso’s penthouse for Maricarmen!” as part of the protest.