Spain’s 11 November housing general strike has produced two arrest tallies that should not be treated as one number. El Salto reported at least 75 people detained and 1,044 incidents nationwide, while the same report attributed at least 39 detentions by the National Police and Civil Guard to Interior Ministry data.
The distinction matters because the available material does not say whether the two counts cover the same time period, territories or police forces. It also does not explain whether the total of 75 draws on organisers, local records or other sources. Adding 39 to 75 would overstate the result; treating them as interchangeable would conceal potentially different reporting scopes.
El Salto also published a time-bound breakdown of the figure attributed to Interior. By 8pm on Wednesday, it listed 15 detainees in Madrid, 11 in Andalusia and seven in the Valencian Community, as well as arrests in several other provinces. That detail gives the ministry-attributed figure some geographical context, but it does not establish how it relates to the higher total reported by the outlet.
The figures arrive alongside allegations about policing. Alicia del Río, a spokesperson for Madrid’s Tenants’ Union, accused officers of using gas and batons, operating without identification and carrying out random identity checks. Those are the organisation’s allegations. The supplied material contains no full police response or operational records that would allow each intervention to be assessed.
The significant post-strike development is therefore not merely the existence of a national tally of arrests and incidents. It is the need to keep the Interior-attributed count separate from El Salto’s broader reported total, while seeking individualised information on detentions and on allegations of force.
Sources
- El Salto · Edición General · Source date: 2026-11-12
Independent editorial content. WUA is not affiliated with any political party. 2026-11-12
Spain’s November 11 strike: Renfe minimum services set as housing movement broadens its call