Clashes broke out in Barcelona as tens of thousands of demonstrators marched during Spain's first general strike in 14 years, organized by the country's main labor unions to protest housing costs and a high cost of living.
Labor leaders reported strong backing for the industrial action. Pepe Álvarez, head of the UGT union, described the turnout as "massive," while Unai Sordo of the CC OO union called participation "very significant." Conversely, the Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations characterized the support as "low and uneven" across different sectors and regions.
Official data also reflected the initial impact of the stoppage. Power usage within Spain's industrial sector dropped by 7.5% during the early hours of Wednesday, according to figures from network operator Red Eléctrica.
