| HEADLINE |
|
Tear gas and fury: Spain erupts over soaring housing crisis
Published : Thursday, 12 November, 2026 at 2:01 PM
Observer Online Report
Collected Photo
Millions of people took to the streets across Spain on Wednesday (November 11), defying severe storms to participate in a general strike demanding immediate solutions to the country's spiralling housing crisis.
Organised by major trade unions and tenant associations, the nationwide shutdown drew an estimated 40 million participants—roughly a fifth of the nation's workforce—marking Spain's first general strike since 2012.
The protest was fueled by soaring property prices and skyrocketing rents, with the average monthly rent of 1,176 euros consuming nearly 98.7 per cent of an average young worker's monthly salary, while the central bank estimates a current deficit of 750,000 homes.
While unions maintained that the protests were largely peaceful, violent clashes erupted by evening in Madrid and Barcelona. Riot police deployed foam bullets, tear gas, and pepper spray to disperse crowds, while demonstrators set fire to street furniture and retail outlets pulled down their shutters. Police reported at least 1,044 disturbances nationwide and 73 arrests, prompting trade union plans to file criminal complaints over alleged disproportionate police tactics.
While trade unions hailed the strike as a massive success, business leaders argued the move would backfire, asserting that the true solution to the crisis lies in building more housing and reducing taxes on construction and purchases rather than staging nationwide disruptions.
-EM
Loading...
Loading...
Also read
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, 01550707296
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]. [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], Online-email: [email protected]
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, 01550707296
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]. [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], Online-email: [email protected]
