The National Police and the Municipal Police of Madrid ended the 26S Camp early Tuesday morning, the encampment for the right to housing that occupied the central Puerta del Sol for 38 days, in an operation that concluded with 334 people evicted and two arrested for resisting and disobeying authority.
The operation mobilized 400 agents —220 from the National Police and 180 from the Municipal Police— with support from firefighters and social services. The Government Delegation in Madrid described the intervention as a "last resort" taken after a "gradual action process," and stated that it occurred "without disturbances or episodes of violence." The organizers of the camp, however, reported a "violent" action involving the use of "pepper spray" and blows that left several people injured.
The protest began on September 26 in response to the eviction of Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman who had lived in an apartment in the Retiro neighborhood since 1956. Transported on a stretcher to the Gregorio Marañón Hospital, she passed away on October 7 without having been able to return to her home, becoming a symbol of the Spanish housing crisis.
What began as a specific protest against evictions and rental prices eventually expanded over time to include antifascist, anticapitalist, pro-Palestinian, and pro-LGBT rights groups, as well as homeless individuals. The encampment lasted longer than the historic 15-M movement in 2011, which lasted for 28 days.
The eviction was not a sudden decision. On October 26, the then Government delegate Francisco Martín sent an initial letter to the campers indicating that a "reasonable time" had passed for them to convey their demands to society. Three days later, a second request was sent, demanding the dismantling "as soon as possible." On October 30, the organizing commissions themselves announced the dissolution of their structures to prepare for the general strike scheduled for November 11, called by CCOO, UGT, and other unions, although a residual group refused to leave the square.
After the eviction, the cleaning services of the Town Hall removed all remnants of the camp with excavators and trucks. The mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida estimated the losses incurred by local businesses during the 38 days of camping to be over 30 million euros.
Political reactions came swiftly. The president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, posted on X: "This is what Pedro Sánchez has allowed for 38 days in the square of all Spaniards. Either communism or freedom." The leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, welcomed the eviction as "good news for public health, merchants, the hospitality industry, and the image of Madrid," and asserted that with it "the rule of law is back in operation."
In Barcelona, the Catalan Government has currently ruled out taking similar action regarding the camp set up in Plaza de Catalunya. The spokesperson Silvia Paneque was clear: "We do not foresee any action at this moment, unless there were elements that would recommend it."
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