Violent clashes broke out in Madrid on Wednesday as riot police confronted protesters attempting to prevent the eviction of an 87-year-old disabled woman from her long-term home in the city’s Retiro district.
Hundreds of people had gathered outside the apartment, with some spending the night at the scene ahead of the scheduled eviction. Housing activists from tenants’ unions in Madrid and Barcelona joined the demonstration, alongside several public figures.
Despite the protest, a judicial committee eventually carried out the eviction.
Spanish media reported that police used tear gas and made repeated charges against demonstrators as officers attempted to clear access to the building for the judicial officials. Europa Press also reported that emergency medical workers later removed Maricarmen from the building on a stretcher.
Fourth Attempt Ends In Eviction
The eviction was the fourth attempt to remove Maricarmen from the apartment where she had lived for around 70 years.
The woman, identified in reports as María del Carmen Abascal and commonly known as Maricarmen, had faced a prolonged legal dispute over her tenancy.
The scheduled September 23 eviction followed earlier postponements. A Madrid court had previously delayed the eviction until September after her legal team challenged the proceedings.
On Wednesday, the judicial commission finally executed the order.
Footage and reports from the scene showed protesters attempting to block access to the building. Police removed activists from the entrance while officers maintained a security cordon around the property.
Maricarmen was eventually taken from the building on a stretcher and transferred to an ambulance.
Europa Press reported that emergency medical personnel from Samur assisted her as supporters gathered outside and shouted messages of support.
Rent Increased Above Her Pension
The dispute has attracted significant attention because of Maricarmen’s age, disability and financial circumstances.
According to reports, she had lived in the apartment for decades before the building changed ownership.
The Guardian reported that when a developer acquired the building, Maricarmen was offered the opportunity to purchase her apartment for €247,000, a figure described as unaffordable for her as a pensioner.
Her rent was subsequently increased from €500 to €1,650 a month, while she received a state pension of approximately €1,350.
A prominent writer reportedly offered to cover the difference between her pension and rent indefinitely, but the offer did not resolve the dispute.
The case became a focus for Madrid’s tenants’ movement, with activists arguing that the circumstances highlighted wider concerns over housing affordability and security of tenure.
Long-Running Tenancy Dispute
The legal dispute centres on the history of the apartment’s tenancy.
According to the reports, the original rental contract was signed in 1956 in the name of Maricarmen’s father.
After his death, the tenancy passed to his wife. Following her death in 2008, the apartment was sublet to Maricarmen.
The property owner, Urbagestión SL, successfully argued before Spain’s Supreme Court that the subletting arrangement was invalid and that the tenancy contract was no longer legally effective.
The company has been approached for comment in reporting on the case.
Spanish reports said the dispute continued through several stages of litigation before the eviction order was ultimately enforced.
Protesters Demand Housing Protection
The eviction drew support from tenants’ unions and housing campaigners, who organised demonstrations before and during the final eviction attempt.
Around 500 people were reported to have gathered outside Maricarmen’s home ahead of the eviction, according to Spanish public broadcaster RTVE. Several artists and public figures also attended the demonstration.
Activists used the slogan “Maricarmen se queda”, meaning “Maricarmen stays”, during the campaign.
Protesters also criticised Madrid regional authorities over housing policy, with demonstrators chanting slogans referencing regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso and an unrelated controversy over a residential property.
Inside the building, some demonstrators occupied the staircase leading towards Maricarmen’s apartment in an attempt to delay access by the judicial committee.
Neighbours reportedly supported the protesters by providing food and access to bathrooms.
Lawyer Says Owner Rejected Offers
Maricarmen’s lawyer, Beatriz Duro, said efforts had been made to find a negotiated solution.
According to Duro, the owner was unwilling to accept proposals that would have allowed Maricarmen to remain or delayed the eviction.
She also said the legal team had sought somewhere to take Maricarmen’s personal belongings after the eviction.
The eviction nevertheless proceeded on Wednesday morning.
Later reports said Maricarmen was taken to Hospital Gregorio Marañón after leaving the building on a stretcher. Her immediate housing arrangements subsequently became a separate concern.
Case Fuels Wider Housing Debate
The incident has become a prominent example in Spain’s continuing debate over housing affordability, rental security and evictions.
Housing campaigners have used the case to demand stronger protections for vulnerable tenants, while the legal proceedings demonstrate that the eviction followed a court process over the validity of the tenancy.
RTVE reported that the tenants’ union subsequently called demonstrations in 12 Spanish cities following the eviction. The campaigners used the protests to demand action on measures intended to protect tenants from eviction.
The case also highlights the difficult circumstances faced by older tenants whose housing arrangements were established under older rental agreements.
For Maricarmen, the dispute ended with her removal from the apartment where she had spent most of her life.
The protesters were unable to prevent the judicial order from being executed, despite the overnight mobilisation and the confrontation with police.
The eviction has since become a wider symbol in Spain’s housing debate, particularly among tenant organisations campaigning for greater protection for vulnerable renters.
