Madrid housing protesters battle exhaustion after two weeks camping in Puerta del Sol

Demonstrators occupying the Puerta del Sol square in central Madrid are battling exhaustion as their housing rights protest enters its third week, Euronews reported on October 15. The protesters are facing sleepless nights, a lack of toilet facilities, and the general difficulties of living outdoors. Despite these challenges, solidarity among the activists keeps the demonstration alive, while Madrid's regional government continues to call for their eviction. [1]

The ongoing protest camp comes in the wake of widespread unrest over Spain's housing crisis. As FTMQ News reported earlier, thousands of people previously marched through central Madrid following the death of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal on October 7. Abascal died shortly after being forcibly removed from her home of more than 70 years on a stretcher because she could not afford steep rent increases. [5][6]

The public outcry over Abascal's eviction pushed housing activist groups to demand stronger government restrictions on evictions. The political crisis resulting from the widespread protests led Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call a snap general election for November 29, as FTMQ News reported earlier. [5][6]

Activists remain determined to maintain their presence in Puerta del Sol, even as tourists pass through the area and regional authorities push to clear the square. [1]