Madrid Riot Police Charge Protesters After 87-Year-Old Woman Evicted From Longtime Home

Riot police moved into a crowd of protesters on Paseo de la Castellana late Wednesday night, with the advance captured by X user Euge as officers wearing helmets and carrying shields and batons crossed the street toward the crowd.

Blue lights flashed from police vans as officers moved into the protesters, who filmed the advance and backed away.

The protest followed the eviction of Maricarmen Abascal, 87, from her home at Alcalde Sainz de Baranda 46 in Madrid’s Retiro district, where she had lived for about 70 years.

A court order was carried out on September 23 after the owner, Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión S.L., rejected a delay that would have allowed Abascal to pack her belongings. She left the property on a stretcher and was taken by a SAMUR ambulance.

Hundreds of people had gathered with the renters’ union following the eviction. Later that night, the march reached Paseo de la Castellana.

After 21:15, protesters cut the avenue near Glorieta Emilio Castelar, prompting riot police to charge and use rubber balls to clear the road.