In Madrid begins today, Sunday, 27 September 2026, at 12 noon, a demonstration in defence of public education. The call was made by the Sindicato de Estudiantes under the slogan “Profes y estudiantes unidos para vencer a Ayuso”. The march starts at Atocha station and goes to Puerta del Sol. There it will meet a housing protest already under way by the Sindicato de Inquilinas .
The organisers are directing their criticism at the regional government of the Community of Madrid. They cite large class sizes, staff shortages and insufficient investment in school infrastructure, and are calling for smaller classes, more staff and better working conditions. According to the organisers, today’s demonstration is also intended to build support for an indefinite work stoppage in the education sector, announced for 14 October 2026 .
The protest is part of a wider calendar of actions marking the start of the school year. In addition to the Sindicato de Estudiantes, various education unions have taken part; since the summer, they have put forward similar demands at meetings and in statements. Their statements say that, in their view, talks with the regional government have so far failed to produce adequate results.
The organisers published the route and time of today’s demonstration in advance. The march is due to go from Atocha along central streets to Puerta del Sol. The organisers see the planned overlap with the housing protest at the destination as an expression of shared social concerns, although the two initiatives have different focuses.
The regional government of the Comunidad de Madrid has rejected the criticism in the past and pointed to measures already under way; no new announcements had been made ahead of today. The organisers gave no precise figures for expected turnout. Information on security and how the demonstration unfolded will only be available after it has ended.
From the organisers’ perspective, the next step is 14 October 2026. The Sindicato de Estudiantes and several education unions have announced further actions for that date, potentially including an indefinite strike. Before today’s protest began, it remained unclear whether and when new talks with the regional government would take place.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).