Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman who had lived in Madrid’s Retiro district for more than 70 years, was evicted from her home on Wednesday and taken out of the building on a stretcher, according to Spanish media. Hundreds of people had gathered outside the property in an attempt to stop the eviction.
The eviction was carried out after several previous attempts had been postponed. The property is owned by the real estate fund Urbagestión, which had previously rejected proposals to reach an agreement with the tenant. On Tuesday, an anonymous writer offered to cover part of Abascal’s rent in an effort to prevent her eviction.
Police were deployed around the building as supporters and housing activists gathered outside. Spanish officials also renewed calls for measures to prevent evictions, with Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun urging the government to include an eviction moratorium in a housing decree scheduled for discussion by the Council of Ministers.
