A-Infos (en) France, Monde Libertaire - Gentrification and Popular Revolt (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

On Saturday, September 26, thousands of people marched through the 
streets of Madrid to protest the eviction of Maricarmen Abascal, an 
87-year-old woman, from her home. Her door was smashed in by local riot 
police, and she was carried out on a stretcher despite the resistance of 
a human chain of protesters. Maricarmen, who had lived in her apartment 
for 70 years, instantly became a symbol of the housing crisis plaguing 
Spain, particularly in major urban areas. Who is to blame? Rampant 
gentrification, which sees real estate developers systematically buying 
up city-center buildings and taking the opportunity to "revise" rental 
prices. Maricarmen's rent, for instance-previously around 500 euros a 
month-was hiked by 275% (no small amount) to a staggering 2,750 euros. 
At that level, it is no longer inflation; it is extortion. So much for 
gentrification, Airbnb, and the like!

Outrage and anger swept across Spain-and Madrid in particular-where 
marches culminated in an impromptu encampment at Puerta del Sol, 
reminiscent of the 2011 protests that gave birth to the *Indignados* 
(Outraged) movement. This time, just a few nights of occupation were 
enough to force the real estate company behind Maricarmen's eviction to 
reverse its decision: she was brought back from the hospital and 
reinstated in her home, with the planned rent hike cancelled. While the 
Puerta del Sol "campers" welcomed this outcome, they are keeping up the 
pressure, as many other evictions take place across Spain every day. 
They are thus demanding that the "Socialist" government enact a new, 
more protective law to curb rising purchase and rental prices.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has promised-yet again-to introduce new 
legislation to cap rents. The catch, however, is getting it passed in 
Parliament, where Sánchez no longer holds a majority. So, it is by no 
means a sure thing. In the meantime, protesters everywhere can still be 
heard chanting: "We are all Maricarmen."
A situation to watch closely.

Ramón Pino
Salvador Seguí Group

https://monde-libertaire.net/?articlen=9229
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