Spain's first general strike in 14 years snarls transport
What's new: Clashes in Barcelona and Madrid led to arrests as housing costs and rents surged ahead of the Nov. 29 election.
Spain ground through its first general strike in 14 years on Wednesday, with unions seeking action on housing costs and the broader cost of living before the Nov. 29 parliamentary election. Transport services, roads, flights and some businesses were disrupted nationwide, while large demonstrations filled Madrid and Barcelona. Authorities counted about 120,000 protesters in Madrid, and Barcelona city officials put turnout there above 50,000. By evening, clashes broke out in Barcelona, where masked groups set bins on fire, damaged shopfronts and fired fireworks as police used tear gas. The strike was called by CCOO and UGT after weeks of unrest over rents that have nearly doubled over the past decade and a severe housing shortage flagged by the Bank of Spain.