Susanna Riva October 03 saw a new wave of tension in Madrid's historic Puerta del Sol . Far-right groups, including the Nucleo Nacional movement , called for a demonstration with the stated goal of clearing out the encampment set up a week earlier by hundreds of housing rights activists.
The camp, which had sprung up in the heart of the capital, had become the symbol of a protest against the housing emergency, attracting the attention of the media and institutions.
Police intervention in Puerta del Sol
In the late afternoon, law enforcement activated a containment plan: rubber bullets were fired as a deterrent to prevent far-right groups from approaching the camp.
The operation led to the arrest of three people involved in the right-wing demonstration, who allegedly attempted to cross the occupied area. The officers, who arrived in large numbers, ensured that the situation did not degenerate into armed clashes, while maintaining high tension among those present.
The role of social media
At the center of the protest organization is the well-known influencer Vito Quiles, often referred to as an “ultra agitator.”
Through the X platform, Quiles urged his followers to support Nucleo Nacional, describing the protesters at the encampment as "hundreds of miserable, do-nothings" who would ruin the tranquility of the people of Madrid. His message, "We must stand with Nucleo Nacional...", helped fuel the climate of hostility and mobilize a significant number of supporters.
The evening of protest in Madrid
That same evening, around 400 protesters gathered around Puerta del Sol, chanting slogans like " Viva España " and " Here are the nationalists ." The rally, inspired by Quiles's speech, demonstrated Nucleo Nacional 's ability to rally support even outside institutional channels. Founded in 2024, the movement is characterized by anti-immigrant positions and strong Spanish nationalism, and this demonstration was one of the most visible manifestations of its radical agenda.
Clashes avoided in Seville
Meanwhile, in Seville , in the Andalusia region , the National Police have scheduled a new action for 20:00 PM to " evict " the housing rights activists who have been camped out in the city center for five days. The local police, acting as a preventative measure, deployed a large contingent an hour before the demonstration began. Thanks to this intervention, the Seville protesters, chanting " Nazis out of our neighborhoods ," were kept separate from the far-right groups, avoiding the risk of violent clashes.
The tensions between these two poles—Madrid and Seville—illustrate how the issue of housing rights has become a fertile ground for political polarization. On the one hand, citizens demand concrete solutions to the housing crisis; on the other, groups like Nucleo Nacional exploit fear and frustration to fuel a rhetoric of exclusion. The use of rubber bullets and arrests demonstrate the authorities' determination to maintain public order, but at the same time, they signal a growing radicalization of public debate in Spain.