Mérida protest demands housing rights and end to evictions

• Over 100 people gathered in Mérida, Spain, to protest soaring housing costs and advocate for the permanent end of evictions.
• The protest, organized by the Inquilinas Platform, highlighted that current state moratoriums only delay evictions until 2028.

Core Issues

• Participants cited that monthly rents in some districts have reached 500 euros, an unsustainable burden for local salaries.
• The protest criticized the growth of tourist apartments, which reduces housing availability for residents.
• Demonstrators honored the memory of an 87-year-old woman who died recently after being evicted in Madrid.

Political Context and Incidents

• Political figures, such as Irene de Miguel of Unidas por Extremadura, warned against the acquisition of local rental properties by international investment funds.
• A confrontation occurred between police and protesters, with activists successfully preventing the detention of an attendee who had been ordered to move from the plaza.
• The movement is building momentum for a national strike scheduled for November 11.