After a peaceful demonstration in Barcelona that drew tens of thousands, masked youths clashed with police on Wednesday night, setting fire to rubbish bins and smashing shop windows as officers moved to disperse the groups. The clashes capped Spain's first general strike in 14 years, called by the country's main unions over soaring housing costs and stagnant wages.
Unions estimated that four million workers took part in the national stoppage, with 120,000 people marching in Madrid and more than 55,000 in Barcelona, according to police figures. In the Catalan capital, groups of masked protesters broke away from the main crowd, throwing stones, bottles and fireworks at officers. The Mossos d'Esquadra moved to disperse the groups; police used tear gas and riot police used baton charges. Eighteen people were arrested during the violence, bringing the day's total to 20. Catalan President Salvador Illa condemned the unrest, stressing that it did not reflect the spirit of the otherwise peaceful protest.
Earlier in the day, the strike had been largely peaceful, with a protester holding a sign reading 'We are not slaves. We want to live, not just survive'. Rebeca Castaño, a teacher marching in Madrid, told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that some children at her school lived in homes where their families had to cram four or five people into a bedroom because of high housing costs. 'We have to fight because we need lower prices,' she said.
The strike reflects rising anger over a housing crisis that has seen house prices rise 84.6 per cent over the past decade while average wages rose 27.9 per cent, according to figures from the National Statistics Institute. Protests focused on housing after widespread outrage over the September eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from a Madrid flat she had lived in for seven decades; she died in hospital weeks later. The woman's treatment galvanised protests across the country.
The strike also carries political weight. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, trailing in the polls, has encouraged workers to down tools, writing on social media that past strikes had secured the eight-hour day, pensions and public healthcare. His Socialist Party faces the conservative People's Party (PP) and its leader Alberto Núñez Feijoo, who is leading in opinion surveys and has called the strike 'nonsense'. Feijoo accused the unions of being a 'mafia' and 'trash'.
Business groups have also criticised the walkout. Miguel Garrido, vice-president of Spain's major business association CEOE, said the strike was political rather than labour-related, while the organisation's vice-president Angela de Miguel argued it was counterproductive because small businesses also suffer from the housing shortage.
The general election will be held on 29 November. Polling by Sociometrica, reported by El Español, projects that a PP-Vox coalition could win about 200 of the 350 seats in the lower house, compared with 108 for Sanchez's Socialists.
With widespread discontent over housing and the cost of living, Spain's strike mirrors similar protests across Europe in recent months.
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12 claims in this story checked against 3 sources: 11 supported.
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- SupportedMasked youths clashed with police in Barcelona after a peaceful demonstration.Euronews: “Violent clashes broke out after an otherwise peaceful mass demonstration, when small groups of masked youths broke away from the main crowd.”
- SupportedUnions estimated that four million workers took part in Spain’s national stoppage.Euronews: “trade unions claim mobilised around four million workers”
- SupportedEighteen people were arrested during the unrest, bringing the day’s total to 20.Euronews: “Eighteen people were arrested during the unrest, bringing the day's total to 20.”
- SupportedThe snap election will be held on 29 November.Euronews: “Coming less than three weeks before the 29 November snap election”
- SupportedThe strike was Spain’s first general strike in 14 years and was called by the main unions over housing costs and stagnant wages.BBC News: “Spain's first general strike for 14 years, called by the country's main unions over housing and the high cost of living.”
- SupportedRebeca Castaño said, “We have to fight because we need lower prices.”WA Today - Latest News: ““We have to fight because we need lower prices,” said Rebeca Castaño, a teacher at an infants’ school who marched with her colleagues in Madrid.”
- SupportedA protester’s sign read, “We are not slaves. We want to live, not just survive”.WA Today - Latest News: “She held a sign saying: “We are not slaves. We want to live, not just survive. Our rights must be defended.””
- SupportedAlberto Núñez Feijóo called the strike “nonsense” and the unions “mafia” and “trash”.BBC News: “PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo called the general strike "nonsense", calling the unions "mafia" and "trash".”
- SupportedPolice estimated that 120,000 people joined the Madrid demonstration.WA Today - Latest News: “Spanish police estimated 120,000 people joined the Madrid demonstration”
- SupportedMore than 55,000 people took part in the Barcelona demonstration, according to municipal police.Euronews: “Municipal police estimated that more than 55,000 people had taken part”
- Partly supportedHouse prices rose 84.6 per cent over the past decade and average wages rose 27.9 per cent over the same period.WA Today - Latest News: “House prices rose 84.6 per cent over the decade to 2025 and average wages increased 27.9 per cent over the same period”
- SupportedA PP-Vox coalition was projected to win about 200 of 350 lower-house seats, compared with 108 for the Socialists.WA Today - Latest News: “the bloc would win about 200 seats of the 350 seats in the lower house. This would put the conservative side comfortably ahead of Sanchez and the Socialists with an expected 108 seats”