Spanish police dismantled a month-long Madrid Housing Protest camp in central Madrid on Tuesday. The operation ended the occupation of Puerta del Sol, where demonstrators had highlighted Spain’s worsening housing crisis.
Police closed much of the landmark square during the early morning operation. Afterwards, municipal cleaning crews removed tents, coverings and other belongings left behind by protesters.
The central government’s delegation in Madrid said authorities removed 334 people overnight. It reported two arrests and described the operation as peaceful, without incidents or violence.
Around 400 national and municipal police officers took part in the operation. Firefighters and social services also supported the authorities during the eviction.
However, protest organizers offered a sharply different account of events. In a statement shared through Telegram, they described the police operation as violent and reported several injuries.
Organizers said some protesters suffered injuries after officers allegedly struck them or used tear gas. Flor, a 43-year-old homeless woman who had occupied the camp since its beginning, described her experience.
She said riot police entered the square during the early hours and forced people to leave. Flor also claimed officers prevented protesters from collecting their belongings before clearing the area.
She said she had left important personal documents and her phone behind. Her account contrasted with the government’s description of an operation without violence.
The camp first appeared in September following the eviction of an 87-year-old pensioner. She had lived in her Madrid home throughout her life, and her removal intensified public debate.
The incident brought Spain’s long-running housing difficulties into sharper national focus. Subsequently, demonstrations spread across the country as residents protested rising housing costs and limited tenant protections.
Puerta del Sol gradually developed into a large encampment housing hundreds of people. Protesters established a canteen, a clinic and a meeting space within the makeshift settlement.
Similar protest camps later appeared in Barcelona, Seville and Valencia. Meanwhile, the occupation in Madrid increased pressure on the national government and local authorities.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s Socialist government responded by presenting two housing decrees. The proposals included restrictions on evictions and automatic renewals of rental agreements.
However, Sanchez’s minority coalition failed to secure parliamentary approval for the measures last month. Consequently, he moved the general election forward from 2027 to November 29.
The encampment also exposed tensions between Spain’s left-leaning national government and conservative local authorities. Madrid’s city and regional administrations criticised the occupation of a busy central public square.
They argued that the camp damaged the capital’s image among tourists and commuters. Nevertheless, demonstrators maintained their focus on housing affordability and tenant protections.
Housing costs have increased significantly across Spain in recent years. In Madrid, rent can consume more than half the average wage of modest-income households.
The Bank of Spain estimates the country faces a shortage of approximately 700,000 homes. Its assessment compares housing demand with the number of newly constructed properties.
Analysts point to limited public housing as one factor behind the pressure. They also cite increased demand associated with tourism and population growth linked to immigration.
The Madrid Housing Protest has therefore highlighted a wider dispute over housing affordability and government policy. Although police have cleared the square, the underlying concerns remain unresolved.
