Demonstration for the right to housing in Barcelona ends with police charges

The Sindicat de Llogateres de Catalunya has led the demonstration in favor of the right to housing in the center of Barcelona this Monday. Thousands of people, 20,000 according to the Urban Police and 120,000 according to the organization, have chanted cries such as “It is not understood: people without a home and a home without people”, “Maricarmen, you are not alone!” or “Guilty renters, responsible governments” and they jangled their keys. Before starting the march from Plaza Urquinaona, the spokesperson for the Llogateres Union, Carme Arcarazo, made it clear that the protest's ultimate goal was to encourage participation in a general strike for housing. Spain's majority unions, CC OO and UGT, will go on a general strike, but the date of the strike has not yet been defined; Whatever the case, it will take place before the general elections that Pedro Sánchez has called for November 29.

The demonstration for housing in Barcelona has ended with tension and police charges. Several hooded men have begun to throw objects at the Mossos d'Esquadra police force and have burned several containers. The Catalan police have asked through public address systems that the protesters abandon their attitude. The Mossos d'Esquadra carried out police charges at the intersection between Passeig de Gràcia and Gran Via, around 10:15 p.m., after glass bottles and chairs were thrown from a bar terrace towards the police cordon.

Barcelona has followed the example of Madrid and other cities mobilized for the right to housing. This Monday was the first mass demonstration after the fall of the Government's housing decrees last Friday. The protest had been scheduled for last Saturday, but the call was canceled due to the rainy season that has affected the coast and pre-coast of the province of Barcelona.

Among those attending were not only people directly affected by housing. Teresa Escribà, 53 years old, for example, is a family doctor and explains that people constantly come to her office with health problems resulting from a situation of housing instability: “Many older people are evicted because with their pensions they are no longer able to pay the rent and then they come to see me because their sugar goes up or they have anxiety problems.”

Neus Medina, 57, does own an apartment where he lives in the Poblenou neighborhood (Barcelona). But this Monday he was demonstrating because his two children, ages 28 and 23, have a job and a salary, but they cannot leave home and become independent. Much less find a home near yours because the neighborhood suffers from a major gentrification problem. "In Poblenou, the only ones who can get an apartment are foreigners; they are the only ones who can pay the prices there are."