Squatting Workshop in Madrid's Puerta del Sol Sparks Debate on Housing Crisis

A tent has been set up in Puerta del Sol, Madrid, as part of a protest camp, aiming to inform people about squatting.

A tent dedicated to squatting has been installed in **Puerta del Sol**, in **Madrid**, as part of a protest camp. The goal is to inform attendees on how to carry out this practice, which its proponents consider a direct response to the housing access crisis. A visible sign reads the slogan "Until rentism ends, we will keep squatting," reflecting their political stance and focus on survival amid high prices.

## Squatting as a Political Weapon

The group behind the initiative defends squatting as a political tool and a necessity due to the impossibility of accessing housing or affording rent. One of its members, **Elena**, stated, "If we don't have a home, we're going to take one," emphasizing the urgency of their demand. They believe they cannot wait for legislative reforms and that squatting is the "only political weapon" they have to act immediately on the housing problem.

The tent seeks to offer help to people in various situations, attending to "all types of cases" and providing necessary support. The message they want to convey is summarized in the slogan "Universal, free, and secure housing." The group's initial intention is to remain in **Puerta del Sol** at least until Tuesday, the planned date for the Council of Ministers to address a new housing decree. If the reform does not satisfy their demands, they warn that they might extend their stay, seeking "whatever it takes to achieve our goal."

## Housing Protest Intensifies

The camp in **Puerta del Sol** began after a demonstration called due to the eviction of a person identified as **Maricarmen**. Hundreds of people have spent at least a second night in the Madrid square. The **Sindicato de Inquilinas** (Tenants' Union) has joined the demands, calling for the next decree to include indefinite rental contracts and warning that they will maintain the protest if this measure is not considered.

The President of the Government, **Pedro Sánchez**, has assured that the Executive is working "against the clock" to present a housing decree to the Council of Ministers on Tuesday. At an event in **Getafe**, he addressed **Maricarmen** and asked parliamentary groups for a final effort to ensure the validation of the law in Congress. However, pressure is not only coming from the camp. Second Vice President **Yolanda Díaz** has demanded that the decree include specific measures against investment funds, stating, "Any decree is not good enough for us." She even encouraged continued mobilization, affirming, "If we have to mobilize against the Government of Spain, let's mobilize."