Full Breakdown
Eviction of an 87-Year-Old Sparks Massive Madrid Demonstration
By Drooid · · How we work
Eviction of Maricarmen Abascal
On September 23, 2026, police removed 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her apartment in Madrid’s central Retiro neighborhood, placing her on a stretcher after a fourth-attempt eviction. The eviction followed a court battle in which an appeals judge overturned a lower-court ruling in her favor and the Supreme Court ultimately sided with the owners, the investment firm Urbagestión.
Legal Background and Rental Dispute
The lease originated in 1956 when Maricarmen’s father signed a rent-capped contract that later passed to her mother and then to Maricarmen. Urbagestión sought to terminate the lease after raising the rent from €500 to €2,650, later reducing it to €1,650. Maricarmen’s monthly pension of €1,350 left her unable to meet the increased payment. Although a court initially ruled in her favor, the higher courts reversed that decision, and the firm rejected a last-minute offer from an anonymous writer to cover the rent for the remainder of her life. The Housing Ministry reportedly attempted to purchase the apartment, but the offer was declined.
Scale of the Protests and Public Reaction
The eviction ignited a spontaneous demonstration that grew to an estimated 10,000 participants, according to the central government. Protesters gathered first in front of a luxury penthouse recently acquired by the Madrid regional government, chanting “Ayuso’s penthouse for Maricarmen!” and “Shame! Shame!” The crowd included youths, seniors, and cultural figures, reflecting broader frustration with an average of three evictions per day in the Madrid region.
Broader Housing Context in Madrid
The incident has become a rallying point for the #Niundesahuciomás (“Not One More Eviction”) platform, which organized simultaneous protests in Ávila, Barcelona, Cádiz, Oviedo, Sevilla, and Valencia. Activists argue that rising rents and speculative practices are driving an increasingly unaffordable housing market, prompting calls for stronger tenant protections and policy reforms across Spain.