A housing protest in Valencia ended with police charges and tear gas after demonstrators breached security at the Palau de les Arts. Conflicting turnout figures from Madrid have intensified the dispute over the movement's size.
Demonstrators broke through a security cordon at the Palau de les Arts during the Valencia Real Estate Summit 2026. Some reached the terrace or entered the complex, and the confrontation sent hundreds of people running from the area.
Barricades and other objects were thrown outside the building. Policía Nacional riot officers used batons to push the crowd back and restore the perimeter. ABC News also reported the use of rubber bullets and tear gas.
Reports on the immediate aftermath differed. One police-linked account listed five arrests and nine injured officers, while another cited one arrest and nine injured officers. A separate report put the number of injured officers at eight. Cadena SER and other outlets carried these differing figures.
A dense cloud of smoke spread around the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. One report said nine police officers were injured, including the head of a riot unit, who suffered a broken arm.
The crowd arrived with keys and chants aimed at the Policía and the property forum. Officers stopped a second attempt to enter the Palau. People outside cheered those coming out of the building and kept chanting against the police.
Madrid faced a separate dispute over the size of the same housing movement. Delegación del Gobierno put the capital's turnout at 70,000 people, while the Sindicato de Inquilinas claimed 500,000. Euronews and DW both reported the gap between the official estimate and the organisers' figure.
The Palau de les Arts was hosting the Valencia Real Estate Summit 2026, an investment and property gathering attended by representatives of the real-estate market. Reports also named former Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera among the speakers. Compromís and Podemos demanded explanations for what they called a disproportionate police response, and defended the right to housing.
The Madrid count was reported earlier as four protest columns moved towards Plaza de Cibeles. Valencia produced different images: keys raised above the crowd and smoke near the arts complex, as demonstrators were pushed back from the investment event.
Police restored the cordon after the second attempt to enter. A group had entered the Palau de les Arts and objects were thrown. Riot police charged the crowd, using batons and tear gas.
