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The general strike blocks Gran Vía and shifts the march towards Callao
Hundreds of participants in the general strike have blocked Gran Vía in the rain, with the presence of the UIP. The march was diverted towards Callao, where dozens of public school teachers joined in.
The advance towards Cibeles was stopped by the Policía Nacional and the march then headed to Plaza de Callao. There, it coincided with dozens of public school teachers.
The teachers had just staged a protest action on Line 5 of Metro de Madrid to demand that "without housing, there is no education." The demonstration coincided with their fifth week of indefinite strike and with the general strike.
Before the diversion, hundreds of people had blocked traffic on Gran Vía during the 24-hour strike called this Wednesday across the country. They marched in the rain in a line with their arms linked, chanting 'Strike, strike, general strike.'
At the front, UIP officers from the Policía Nacional formed a security cordon to prevent incidents. Some shops in the area pulled down their shutters, a gesture that was met with applause from the protesters.
Among those supporting the protest were members of the Sindicato de Inquilinas de Madrid, which had called on social media to shut down the centre from 12 noon and to refrain from shopping or working in local businesses. In Callao, they also chanted 'Not one more eviction.'