Nearly 10,000 protesters gather after elderly woman evicted from her home of 71 years

Nearly 10,000 protesters gather after elderly woman evicted from her home of 71 years

MADRID (WKRC) - Nearly 10,000 people protested in the streets after an elderly woman was evicted from her home.

According to PEOPLE, protesters flooded the affluent Retiro neighborhood of Madrid after 87-year-old María del Carmen “Maricarmen” Abascal was evicted from her home of 71 years.

A report from Reuters states that Abascal had lived in the apartment since 1957 and was removed by law enforcement Wednesday, Sept. 23. Spanish outlet El País reported that the eviction came after investment fund Urbagestion acquired the apartment where she lived and increased her rent from €500 ($572) to €2,650 ($3,014), which was later reduced to €1,650 ($1,877).

The publication reported that Abascal was unable to afford the cost because her monthly pension was €1,350 ($1,535).

Euronews reported that Abascal first moved into the apartment in 1957 at age 17, with her father reportedly signing an old-style regulated tenancy agreement. The home was handed over to his wife following his death and then given to Abascal when her mother died in 2005, according to the report, which notes that the demonstrations were or...