Spain General Strike Ends in Clashes, Scores of Arrests

Spain’s first general strike in 14 years brought hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets on Wednesday (Nov 11) in protest at the housing crisis and low wages, but riot police clashed with masked protesters in Madrid and Barcelona in the evening, Euronews reported.

Arrests After Spain General Strike Clashes

Euronews said riot police charged groups of masked protesters who had thrown fireworks and flares at officers, and that more than 70 people were arrested nationwide, with police recording 1,500 incidents. Reuters later reported police forces counted at least 115 arrests from incidents linked to the strike, including blockades of offices and industrial estates.

According to Reuters, furniture was set alight in a Barcelona street after the main march ended, while riot police in Madrid used foam bullets, tear gas and pepper spray to disperse protesters around Plaza de España. Amnesty International said it had documented excessive use of police force, including baton blows on peaceful protesters, Reuters reported.

Unions said at least eight people were injured earlier in the day when police charged a picket outside Madrid’s bus depots. The CCOO union in Madrid said it planned to file a criminal complaint over what it called a “disproportionate” police response, Time reported.

Rival Turnout Figures in Madrid and Barcelona

The 24-hour stoppage, under the slogan “Wages, housing and prices”, was backed by Spain’s two biggest unions, CCOO and UGT, along with smaller unions and other groups. In Madrid, the Tenants’ Union put attendance at more than half a million while the central government’s office counted 120,000. In Barcelona, organisers claimed 400,000 against a city police estimate of 55,000.

Tenants’ Union spokesperson Valeria Racu said the strike targeted landlords, employers and all governments, including the current one, Euronews reported.

Unions and Employers Split Ahead of Election

Unions hailed the strike as a success while employers called it a failure. CCOO and UGT said participation reached 90% in ports and the car industry. Opposition Partido Popular leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo warned the unions may have made a “historic mistake”, while UGT general secretary Pepe Álvarez said whoever governs will have to listen to the people.

The strike came less than three weeks before Spain’s snap general election, scheduled for Nov 29.

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