The 11 November 2026 general strike, called by CCOO and UGT over access to housing and wage improvement, was the first the unions had jointly promoted since 2012. Madrid’s strike-day events included information pickets and an afternoon housing march through the city centre. Organizers estimated that up to 600,000 people took part in the national mobilization.
A police cordon stopped marchers from reaching the area around Plaza de España as the demonstration ended on Wednesday night. The march had reached its endpoint on Gran Vía near the plaza shortly before 21:00. Officers later charged forcefully and used pepper spray, according to reporting by El Correo and Euronews.
Four people were arrested on suspicion of assaulting authority and causing public disorder. Europa Press cited people present who said the standoff between officers and demonstrators had lasted around half an hour and remained peaceful before the cordon opened. The report said police acted to prevent disturbances and contain the throwing of objects. A separate account in El Periódico de España reported at least two arrests linked to the Gran Vía events.
Across Spain, a national tally published on strike day reported at least 75 arrests and 1,044 incidents linked to the mobilization. Ministry of the Interior data available by 20:00 recorded at least 39 arrests by the Policía Nacional and Guardia Civil, including 15 in Madrid. That Madrid figure included two arrests during morning picketing and four after disturbances near Plaza de España.
The strike-day figures provide the immediate context for CCOO’s criticism. General secretary Unai Sordo described the police response during the demonstrations as lamentable and disproportionate. He said officers had prevented the union from carrying out its work and called for those responsible for the incidents to be held accountable.
Sordo also criticised the lack of mechanisms to oversee police conduct. CCOO was gathering testimonies and evidence, while its legal services examined the police actions. On 14 November, Sordo said the union planned to file a complaint the following week, after collecting videos and testimonies.
Paloma López, secretary general of CCOO Madrid, also criticised the National Police response to the pickets and the afternoon housing demonstration, which she described as peaceful. CCOO Madrid reported that 20 union participants were injured during police action against early-morning information pickets; López alleged that officers used pepper spray and batons. She also called for accountability over the afternoon protest and the wider situation within the police. CCOO Madrid announced plans to file a criminal complaint over police charges and the detention of a worker during an information picket at Mercamadrid. López reported around 15 injured people in connection with that incident. The strike-day coverage also included a separate account of a reporter being pushed, described in the reporter incident.
