AssetID: 56084166
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: María Del Carmen Abascal, Symbol Of Spain's Housing Protests, Dies Aged 87
Caption: María Del Carmen Abascal, Symbol Of Spain's Housing Protests, Dies Aged 87. María del Carmen Abascal, the 87-year-old pensioner whose eviction sparked nationwide protests over Spain's housing crisis, has died. Known across Spain as Maricarmen, she died two weeks after being evicted from the Madrid apartment where she had lived for more than seven decades. Her apartment had been bought by an investment firm that sought to increase her rent by 230%, turning her case into a symbol of Spain's housing pressures. Images of police removing Abascal from her home on a stretcher prompted widespread anger, with about 10,000 people protesting in Madrid hours later. While being treated in hospital for severe exhaustion, Abascal encouraged protesters to continue fighting to defend their housing rights. Podemos MEP and former Equalities Minister Irene Montero blamed the circumstances surrounding her death, while People's Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo called for respect. Her death came after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government approved new housing measures, including extended eviction protections and restrictions on speculative property purchases. Campaigners in Madrid held a minute's silence before marching towards parliament chanting: "Maricarmen lives on, the fight continues”. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Current Affairs & Politics,María del Carmen Abascal,Maricarmen,Spain housing crisis,Madrid,eviction,Pedro Sánchez,Irene Montero,Alberto Núñez Feijóo,Spain protests,housing protests,rent increases
PersonInImage: