Spain holds first general strike in 14 years over housing crisis

Millions of workers in Spain participated in the first general strike in 14 years, protesting the housing crisis and cost of living. Clashes with police led to dozens of arrests and hundreds of incidents reported across the country.

Spain's first general strike in 14 years ended Wednesday evening in violent clashes between protesters and police. According to the Spanish Interior Ministry, at least 52 people were arrested and 919 incidents were recorded by the afternoon. In Barcelona, severe clashes developed after a massive demonstration, as masked protesters smashed shop windows and fired fireworks at police. Tires and garbage containers were set on fire and major roads were blocked. Clashes were also recorded in Madrid after protesters broke through a police barrier. The strike, organized by the two largest labor unions, was intended to protest the severe housing crisis, the high cost of living, and low wages. It disrupted public transportation, factories, ports, and educational institutions. The protest comes less than three weeks before the general elections on November 29. Public anger erupted following the eviction of Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman, from her home in Madrid last September; she died days later and her story became a symbol of the housing crisis.