Photos: Protests erupt after 87-year-old evicted woman dies in Madrid

Nationwide outrage grows after the death of woman whose eviction sparked protests and political tensions.Protesters gather after the death of Maria del Carmen Abascal, the 87-year-old woman whose eviction sparked nationwide protests, in Puerta del Sol square in Madrid. [Bernat Armangue/AP Photo]Published On 8 Oct 20268 Oct 2026The death of an 87-year-old woman whose eviction from her longtime Madrid home ignited nationwide outrage has intensified Spain’s debate over housing and pushed the country into a political crisis.Maria del Carmen Abascal, known widely as “Maricarmen”, died in hospital on Wednesday, her lawyer confirmed, weeks after televised images showed police removing her on a stretcher from the flat where she had lived for seven decades. Activists said her case exposed the human cost of soaring rents and aggressive evictions.Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez led tributes online, calling her “a symbol” of renters struggling with Spain’s affordability crisis and writing on X: “All my love to Maricarmen’s family and loved ones. … Rest in peace.” Protesters gathered near parliament chanted: “Maricarmen lives. The fight goes on!”Her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, said activists were devast...