More than 200 people gathered yesterday (Saturday) in the Plaza del Pilar in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, to demand urgent action in response to the growing housing crisis in the islands affecting residents from all walks of life.
The demonstration, held under the slogan “For the right to a decent home,” called for an end to property speculation, a halt to evictions of vulnerable families, and the implementation of public policies to ensure access to housing.
The protest formed part of a nationwide mobilisation taking place in over 40 cities across Spain, including Tenerife and Fuerteventura. In the capital of Gran Canaria, the rally was marked by a spirited yet peaceful atmosphere, with performances by young local musicians and a theatrical piece from the Escuela Libre de Teatro, which satirised the difficulties of finding somewhere affordable to live.
A Demand for Housing Rights
The event was supported by around twenty associations and political parties. Young people made up a significant portion of the crowd, many carrying banners with messages such as “Homes without people, people without homes” and “Speculative, rent-obsessed government.”
The demonstration concluded with the reading of a joint manifesto, shared across all participating cities. The statement reaffirmed the universal right to housing and denounced what organisers described as a speculative system that is pricing citizens out of their own neighbourhoods.
The protest highlighted growing frustration among residents over rising rental prices, increasing evictions, and the perceived inaction of authorities in addressing one of the most pressing social issues in the Canary Islands and across Spain.
