Madrid to clear Sol protest camp after pensioner eviction death sparks unrest

Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso announced Plaza del Sol will be closed for cleaning on Friday, effectively clearing a protest camp that emerged after the eviction and subsequent death of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal, a symbol of Spain's housing crisis. The move escalates a political confrontation over housing policy, with mass demonstrations ongoing. Uncertainty remains over whether the clearing will trigger further unrest or shift public opinion ahead of elections.