Madrid prostitutes rally against gentrification

MADRID (Reuters) - Prostitutes held colorful fashion parades in central Madrid on Thursday to demonstrate against plans by property developers to buy up premises in which they have long plied their trade.

Organizers said the street parades were intended to show that the prostitutes were no threat to local residents or shopkeepers if they stayed in the area.

Dozens of onlookers clapped as sex workers modeled revealing outfits in a parade humorously dubbed "Madame Bitch".

"This is so that we can be seen, to show we can do many things apart from what we already do," said a participant who gave her name as Dayanara.

"It's also a proposal for ladies of the night and normal people to live together," added Dayanara, who has been a sex worker since arriving from Ecuador seven years ago.

Prostitution is illegal in Spain but tolerated and very visible. However, authorities have run public information campaigns saying clients encourage mistreatment of women, gun-running and drug-trafficking.

(Reporting by Temis Tormo; Writing by Martin Roberts; Editing by Giles Elgood)