Tens of thousands demonstrate in Barcelona against the housing shortage

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated against the housing shortage in Barcelona. The information on the number of participants varied widely. While the authorities reported 20,000 demonstrators, the organizers spoke of 120,000 people. At the rally in the center of the Catalan metropolis, they demanded more living space. “You don’t understand this: people without homes and homes without people,” it said, among other things.

The demonstration in the evening remained largely peaceful, but there were isolated clashes towards the end. Some demonstrators set several containers on fire and threw bottles and chairs at a bar toward police. According to media reports, the police arrested several young people.

Decrees to combat the housing shortage failed in parliament

Spain's socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced new elections on November 29th on Monday. Previously, two decrees to combat the housing crisis had failed in parliament, where Sánchez no longer has a majority.