Madrid Protesters March Against Austerity, Poor Job Prospects
Demonstrators marched in Madrid, converging near the congress building in the Spanish capital and maintaining the momentum of protests that broke out last month against government austerity policies and high unemployment.
Six “columns” of marchers from different points of the city converged at Neptune Square at about 2 p.m., said Dante Scherma, a spokesman for the 15-M Movement, which helped organize today’s demonstration. The protest, which attracted “many thousands” of people, has been peaceful, he said.
It wasn’t immediately possible to speak to Spain’s National Police to get official estimates of the size of today’s demonstration in Madrid and other Spanish cities. State broadcaster Television Espanola reported that about 500 police had monitored the “tens of thousands” of protesters and the Madrid rallies had taken place in a “festive” atmosphere.
Protesting against a youth unemployment rate of 44 percent, bank bailouts and corruption, demonstrators staged a one-month sit-in at Madrid’s Puerta de Sol that started on May 15.
To contact the reporter on this story: Charles Penty in Madrid at cpenty@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Frank Connelly at fconnelly@bloomberg.net
Rate this Page