Thousands of people demonstrate Barcelona this Saturday to demand a reduction in rents. The demonstration seeks to obtain a reduction of 50% of rents and, if the housing situation does not improve, call for a rent strike. The concentration is inspired by that which took place at Madrid the past October 13 and it is organized by more than 4,000 entities, 60 committees and more than 2,000 people were involved in its preparations. The demonstration began around 5 p.m., in Plaza Universidad, with the slogan S’ha Finish! (It’s over!)
The CCOO and UGT unions, the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), Òmnium Cultural and groups like Las Kellys or the Manteros Union, among others, are among the participating organizations. Led by a banner with the message “It’s over, let’s lower the rents”. For decent housing for all”, the demonstrators brandished slogans such as “We will no longer tolerate evictions”, “No speculators, no banks, no vulture funds” or even “Free and universal housing”.
“It is not possible for investors to come to our cities and play with apartments like Monopoly,” said Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for the Tenants Union, before the start of the event. The spokesperson announced that the union “will move towards a rent strike” starting tomorrow. “If we unite, we will have much more power than any politician or rentier,” Arcarazo stressed.
The main demands of the protest are a reduction in rents, a 50%, promote Permanent contract “to put an end to blackmail and insecurity at the end of each contract”, recover housing for residential use and prohibit speculative purchase.
The demonstration began in the Plaza Universitat, in the Gran Vía neighborhood, and plans to travel along Calle Calàbria, Calle Consell de Cent (between these two points a parliament will be held in front of Casa Orsola) and Calle Tarragona until to its final destination: Sants. station. The demonstration includes columns of demonstrators coming from different neighborhoods of Barcelona and the Baix Llobregat and Maresme regions.
