Hundreds of residents are camping in central plazas to demand stronger rent caps and an end to forced removals of elderly citizens in the Spanish capital. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Sunday committed to rapid government intervention to address the rental market after a growing protest camp and marches of tens of thousands of people brought parts of the city to a standstill.

The unrest was triggered by the eviction of Maricarmen Abascal, an 87 year old woman who was carried from her home of 71 years on a stretcher. Developer Urbagestión had increased her monthly rent from €500 to as much as €2,650, a sum far exceeding her €1,350 pension. While the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights urged authorities to halt the eviction, police used tear gas and batons to clear protesters from the site.