Riot police in Madrid used teargas and baton charges on Wednesday to disperse hundreds of protesters attempting to prevent the eviction of an 87-year-old disabled woman known as Maricarmen. The eviction was carried out despite widespread public opposition and demonstrations in the Retiro district where she had lived for 71 years.
Supporters, including activists from the Madrid and Barcelona tenants’ unions and public figures such as actor Carlos Bardem and singer Ana Belén, had camped overnight to block the eviction. Authorities eventually cleared the way for a judicial committee to execute the eviction order early Wednesday morning.
Background of the Dispute
Maricarmen was offered to purchase her apartment for €247,000 after a developer bought the building, an amount unaffordable for her on a pension income of €1,350. Her rent had also been raised from €500 to €1,650 monthly. Although a prominent writer offered to cover the rent difference indefinitely, the offer was declined.
The legal basis for the eviction stems from a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the subletting agreement Maricarmen had under her late father’s original 1956 contract. The landlord involved is Urbagestión SL, which has not publicly commented.
Protests and Reactions
Protesters chanted slogans referencing a political controversy involving Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso, highlighting tensions over housing and public resources. Demonstrators blocked stairwells and received support from neighbors who provided snacks and bathroom access.
Aldo Reverte, spokesperson for the Confederation of Tenants’ Unions, criticized landlords’ control over housing and praised the tenants’ union for raising awareness about what he called “barbaric behavior.” Lawyer Beatriz Duro noted the landlord’s refusal to negotiate and mentioned that arrangements were made to safeguard Maricarmen’s belongings.
Wider Housing Context
The eviction of Maricarmen is one of thousands in Spain this year, with over 4,000 evictions reported so far. The case has drawn attention to affordability and tenant protections as many pensioners and lower-income residents face displacement amid rising property development pressures.
