At about 14:00 on 11 November, after hundreds of protesters had blocked traffic on Madrid’s Gran Vía for around two hours, officers from the National Police Intervention Unit (UIP) told them to leave the road. The demonstrators refused. Officers pushed them and then charged. The action was part of a nationwide 24-hour general strike over housing rights and higher wages, with protection of public services also among its aims. It was the first nationwide general strike in Spain in 14 years, according to contemporaneous international coverage.
Samantha Hudson, an actress and content creator, said police sprayed her with pepper spray during the operation and that she received medical treatment afterward. She said she and others had been at the front without using violence and were pushed against the pavement. María Barrier, a journalist and Hudson’s co-host on Bimboficadas, said she and Hudson were sprayed directly, as was actress Laura Weissmahr. Barrier said the spray reached their eyes and ears, affecting their respiratory tracts as well; Hudson described severe difficulty breathing.
Police used batons and pepper spray against some demonstrators. Protesters responded with chants condemning the police action and opposing violence against demonstrators. Two arrests were reported during the Madrid demonstration, and separate reporting said 20 protesters were injured in the broader police operation. Unions called the police response disproportionate and said they would file a criminal complaint. The National Police also feature in a separate report on the Oviedo shooting and blast, an unrelated incident.
The unions called the general strike to support housing rights and better pay; their stated case also included defending public services. Protesters demanded affordable rents and improved access to housing. Europa Press reported that by mid-morning authorities had recorded 40 detentions and 476 incidents nationwide, citing figures from the Interior Ministry and regional police forces. The National Police and Civil Guard reporting period ran from 22:00 on 10 November to 11:00 on 11 November. Thirteen of those detained were arrested by the Ertzaintza in the Basque Country. Reported strike disruptions included blockades at offices and industrial estates, as well as burned rubbish containers. Incidents were also reported at Mercamadrid and the Granada Metro; some central Madrid businesses temporarily lowered their shutters.
