Rioters loot shops after massive Barcelona housing protest (VIDEOS)
Thousands of people marched through Barcelona on Wednesday to protest soaring rents, while masked groups later clashed with police and looted shops.
The protest was organized by the Tenants’ Union and the Confederation of Housing Unions of Catalonia, with demonstrators chanting slogans against landlords.
It took place three weeks before Spain’s snap parliamentary election on November 29, following the rejection of two housing reform decrees by parliament.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the early vote after the decrees, which included rent caps and eviction protections, were defeated by the People’s Party, Vox, and Junts.
Violence and looting
After the march ended, masked rioters erected makeshift barricades and targeted shops, smashing windows and setting garbage containers ablaze.
A Lego store on Passeig de Gràcia was among the vandalized businesses, with some protesters watching from outside.
Catalan regional president Salvador Illa condemned the violence, stating that neither it nor vandalism represents the people who demonstrated peacefully.
In Catalonia, those who break the law will face the consequences.
Nationwide unrest
The Barcelona protest was part of a nationwide general strike that disrupted transport and commerce across Spain.
Demonstrators blocked roads in Madrid, Valencia and other cities, while pickets forced some businesses to close.
Rail services were disrupted, with 24% of high-speed AVE trains and 10% of Cercanías commuter services canceled, along with more than 330 flights.
Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni reported around 50 arrests following the unrest, while at least 75 people were detained nationwide during the general strike.
Europe has seen a wave of unrest in recent weeks, with protests over rising living costs and public services in France and Germany erupting into clashes with police, vandalism and looting.
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