MADRID, Oct 4 — Spanish police arrested three members of a far-right group and fired rubber bullets on Saturday night in Madrid after tens of thousands had marched across the country to demand action to tackle a housing crisis.
The Spanish government said that far-right activists, some of whom performed Nazi salutes, tried to reach demonstrators camped out in the Puerta del Sol, a central square in the Spanish capital, to protest the housing crisis.
Earlier, some demonstrators waved posters calling for a general strike after the measures drawn up to address mass anger over the eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid, and other housing issues, were rejected in Parliament on Friday.
"It is a shame. It only proves that it is us, the people, who have to adapt to the political parties, and not the politicians to what the people want, and this cannot go on like that," said Nando de Anguulo, 26, who joined Saturday's protest in Madrid.
Local media reported that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez might call a snap election for November after the legislation failed to pass and would be watching the strength of Saturday's protests before deciding.
His office declined to comment on the reports.
In the southeastern city of Valencia, demonstrators clashed with police who fired rubber bullets and tear gas to break up protests.
About 30 protesters entered Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (the City of Arts and Sciences), a landmark cultural complex, before police drove them out. Other demonstrations in 50 Spanish cities were peaceful.
The Tenants Union spokesman Valeria Racu told the media in Madrid that a general strike would be called after talks with labour unions.
Meanwhile, the Spanish government said that about 70,000 protesters took part in Saturday's demonstration in Madrid.
Protests planned in Barcelona and the nearby city of Hospitalet de Llobregat were called off because of heavy rain.
