Riot police deployed teargas and conducted multiple baton charges in Madrid on Wednesday as they cleared a path for judicial officials to execute an eviction order against an elderly tenant. Hundreds of demonstrators, including activists from tenant unions in Madrid and Barcelona as well as notable public figures, had gathered to obstruct what marked the fourth attempt to remove the woman from her home in the Retiro district. The protesters had assembled overnight in effort to prevent the forced removal.
The tenant, identified as Maricarmen and approaching her 88th birthday, has resided in the apartment for 71 years. Her housing circumstances changed when a developer acquired the building and offered her the opportunity to purchase the unit for €247,000, a sum beyond the financial capacity of a pensioner. When she declined, her monthly rent was raised from €500 to €1,650, while her state pension provides €1,350 monthly. A prominent writer reportedly volunteered to cover the €1,150 shortfall indefinitely, though this offer was declined by the landlord.
The eviction proceeded despite the landlord’s legal position being disputed through various channels. The original 1956 lease was registered under Maricarmen’s father’s name and subsequently transferred through her stepmother following his death. When her stepmother passed in 2008, Maricarmen began subletting the unit. The property company Urbagestión SL successfully argued before the supreme court that this subletting arrangement was invalid, thereby nullifying the tenancy contract.
During the proceedings, Maricarmen released a video message urging supporters to maintain peaceful conduct while expressing gratitude for their assistance in what she described as a difficult struggle. Her legal representative indicated the landlord has refused to negotiate or accept alternative proposals and requested only basic accommodation for personal belongings. Tenant union representatives characterized the case as emblematic of broader housing market pressures, noting that approximately 4,000 evictions have occurred across Spain during this period.
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