Madrid’s regional government ordered Sol station closed on Friday for urgent cleaning and safety work as a protest camp occupied the square. Police arrested a 61-year-old camper after an alleged knife pursuit.
At 2.30am on Friday, 16 October, National Police arrested a 61-year-old man at the Puerta del Sol camp after a report that he had pursued one of its coordinators with a knife. Police said the coordinator had approached him over loud noise. A camper saw the woman run between tents as the man followed her after throwing a beer bottle. Officers found no knife when they searched him, but seized hashish. He remained in police custody.
Hours later, the regional government ordered Sol station, a major transport interchange in central Madrid, closed during the day for urgent cleaning and safety work. The temporary closure was linked to the protest camp, which began on 26 September and had occupied the square for almost three weeks. The camp was organised against Madrid’s housing crisis and rising housing costs. Reports described hundreds of protesters.
Ayuso said occupational risk prevention staff and trade unions had requested the closure over conditions inside the station. It was to remain shut for as long as the cleaning took and safety work required.
The Community of Madrid said urine and excrement had accumulated in ventilation shafts and near station access points. It also reported other organic waste. On 15 October, Housing, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Jorge Rodrigo sent a letter about the reported conditions to Madrid government delegate Francisco Martín. The letter included a technical environmental report prepared by Laboratorios Himalaya and dated 14 October.
The report explains how bacteria can break down urea in urine, producing gases and vapours in enclosed areas with limited ventilation. It also discusses aerosols and recommends precautions for staff carrying out cleaning and disinfection. The regional government presented the closure as a workplace safety measure prompted by concerns from prevention services and unions.
Ayuso also described fights and damage to the statue of the bear and the strawberry tree. She said the equestrian statue of Carlos III had also been damaged. In an interview with esRadio, reported by Europa Press, she said nearby streets and shops were empty because people were afraid to go out. She blamed Pedro Sánchez for the disruption in central Madrid. Ayuso also accused protesters of obstructing ambulances and attacking journalists, describing the situation as one of “the law of the jungle”.
A separate police incident at Complutense University is covered in this Madrid report.
