Massive Housing Rights Protest Held in Barcelona Amid Call for General Strike

• Thousands gathered in Barcelona to protest the ongoing housing crisis after initial plans were postponed due to extreme weather.
• Organizers reported 120,000 attendees, while the Guàrdia Urbana estimated 20,000.
• Protesters explicitly called for a general strike and criticized political parties across the spectrum for treating housing as a business.

Core Demands and Political Context

• Activists demanded immediate action from the government, specifically urging regional president Salvador Illa to legislate on the 25,000 vacant apartments held by large landlords.
• The protest took place shortly after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced general elections for November 29.
• Leading labor unions UGT and CCOO have reportedly signaled support for a potential general strike.

Opposition to Current Policy

• Gisela Bermúdez of the Socialist Housing Union of Catalonia argued that no existing party is willing to break from the housing business model to support the working class.
• The event concluded with clashes between protesters and the Mossos d’Esquadra, who initiated police charges against participants around 9:45 PM.