A midday confrontation at Puerta del Sol saw Bertrand Ndongo, known for his far-right activism, driven out by protesters after he appeared with pepper spray. The incident escalated quickly, highlighting the charged atmosphere at the ongoing demonstration.
Midday in Puerta del Sol. The square was tense. Bertrand Ndongo, a familiar face from Spain’s far-right scene, showed up among the protesters. He didn’t last long. Shouts of “Fuera fascistas de nuestros barrios” rang out as people closed in around him. The crowd moved fast. They forced him out.
El Diario and other outlets reported that demonstrators followed Ndongo down Calle del Carmen. They chanted against far-right agitators. But this protest wasn’t about him. The real fight was over housing. RTVE and Euronews described a mass mobilization against evictions and Spain’s housing crisis. Protesters wanted a rent freeze and stronger tenant rights. Thousands had marched earlier. The demonstration turned into an overnight camp in the square.
Official estimates put the number of participants in the Madrid demonstration at around 25,000, underscoring the scale of the protest that preceded the encampment.
People poured out of their tents. They formed a wall in front of Ndongo. Some reports mentioned pepper spray. El Diario said protesters kept things peaceful. There’s no solid proof that anyone was threatened with spray. The crowd kept pushing Ndongo down Calle del Carmen. They didn’t stop until he reached plaza del Callao.
Ndongo tried to shout back. “Esto es España, la plaza no es vuestra. Hay que ir a trabajar.” The crowd didn’t care. They stayed focused. Their goal was clear: get him out. This was just one flashpoint in a much bigger protest. Official sources confirmed the demonstration was about housing rights, not just this clash.
The scene turned quickly. Protesters acted together. The mood in central Madrid was raw. Bringing in a known agitator only raised the stakes. The push to remove him showed how tense things have become around protests and public safety. El Independiente and other newsrooms reported that the incident deepened the political fight between Madrid’s city council and the central government. Local officials accused the Delegación del Gobierno of standing by while the encampment and protest route continued unchecked.
Central government officials maintain that, in the absence of public disorder, the National Police are not required to intervene in the encampment, while the city council continues to press for stricter oversight of the protest.
This wasn’t just about one man. It’s about the line between protest and public order in Madrid’s most visible square. When someone like Ndongo tries to stir things up, the response is fast. No hesitation. The crowd won’t back down. The Puerta del Sol standoff shows that attempts to provoke or intimidate are now met with collective pushback. The camp remains. The political fight over housing and protest rules is still burning, as AFP and other agencies have reported. Madrid isn’t backing down.
