Thousands in Madrid Protest Spain’s Housing Crisis

Thousands demonstrated in Madrid against Spain's housing crisis, demanding renter protections, anti-fraud rules, and a ban on evictions without alternative housing. After the march, some protesters returned to Puerta del Sol square to camp, with about twenty tents set up and more people arriving. The crisis stems from inflation and a shortage of 550,000 homes last year, per Spain's central bank. The protest was triggered by the eviction of an 87-year-old woman on Wednesday. Spain has one of Europe's lowest social housing rates at under 2 percent, versus the EU average of 8 percent.