Thousands of teachers marched through central Madrid on Friday during the third day of an open-ended strike. Organisers say participation has remained above 60% since the walkout began on Wednesday.
At Puerta del Sol, the march was set to meet an encampment defending housing. Thousands of teachers had set off from Paseo del Prado on Friday, 16 October, the third day of an open-ended strike that began on Wednesday, 14 October. The evening demonstration followed a planned route from Atocha to Sol.
The Comité de Huelga Unitario de la Educación Pública de la Comunidad de Madrid called the march. It began beside the Jardín Botánico and headed towards Sol. La Nueva España reported that around 35,000 people took part.
Organisers called the strike a success. At an open assembly in Retiro, they discussed further action for the following week.
Turnout estimates remain sharply divided.
Organisers put participation on Friday at around 60%. The regional government reported 26.7%, down 5.5 percentage points from the previous day.
Figures for the first day also varied. CCOO put turnout at about 70%. UGT representative Chema Garrido said it was between 70% and 75%.
The regional government reported 44.6% on that first day. Garrido said participation reached 100% in some schools and ranged from 50% to 70% in others.
For secondary schools, Garrido put average turnout at 50% to 60%. Regional education councillor Mercedes Zarzalejo described the protest as political and electoral.
The latest march is part of the open-ended walkout covered in earlier strike reporting. It was due to end at the central square, where the housing encampment is also based.
The encampment began on 26 September and had remained at Sol for 20 consecutive nights by 16 October. After an assembly on 15 October, participants decided to continue the protest and discussed taking the campaign into Madrid’s neighbourhoods.
The regional government, led by Isabel Díaz Ayuso, had stepped up legal and institutional efforts to remove the camp, which it described as an illegal occupation of public space.
