- Title: SPAIN: Thousands of anti-austerity protesters dsecend on Spanish Parliament
- Date: 27th October 2012
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (OCTOBER 27, 2012) (REUTERS) +++++NIGHT PICTURES++++ VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING NEAR CIBELES SQUARE CITY HALL CLOCK/MOON POLICE CLOSING TRAFFIC AT THE CORNER OF THE SPANISH PARLIAMENT BUILDING DEMONSTRATORS RUNNING TOWARDS POLICE FENCE PREVENTING ACCESS TO THE PARLIAMENT BUILDING DEMONSTRATOR NEXT TO FENCE WITH ANARCHIST FLAG THOUSANDS OF DEMONSTRATORS STANDING NEXT TO FENCE / POLICE VANS POLICE / MORE DEMONSTRATORS ARRIVING MORE DEMONSTRATORS ARRIVING AND CHANTING: (SPANISH) "WE ARE NOT ALL HERE. WE ARE MISSING THE ELEPHANT (REFERRING TO KING JUAN CARLOS OF SPAIN)" DEMONSTRATORS ARRIVING WITH ANTI-AUSTERITY PLACARDS DEMONSTRATORS BEHIND FENCE / POLICE STANDING IN FRONT OF DEMONSTRATORS VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING: (SPANISH) "RESIGNATION, RESIGNATION" DEMONSTRATORS (ELDERLY WOMAN) CHANTING: "THE VOICE OF PEOPLE IS NOT ILLEGAL" DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING: (SPANISH) "LONG LIVE THE WORKERS FIGHT" / SOUND OF FIRE CRACKER TOP SHOT OF DEMONSTRATORS IN FRONT OF FENCE / POLICE VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS SHOUTING ANTI-AUSTERITY SLOGANS DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING / FIRE CRACKER POLICE THOUSANDS OF DEMONSTRATORS NEXT TO FENCE PREVENTING ACCESS TO PARLIAMENT BUILDING VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS OBSERVING A MINUTE OF SILENCE / WAVING HANDS IN AIR VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING: (SPANISH) "RESIGNATION, RESIGNATION"
- Embargoed: 11th November 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAAV69FD0CL6LDU1JMYQ5PAOR2A
- Story Text: Thousands of Spaniards flocked to Spain's parliament building on Saturday (October 27) in an anti-austerity demonstration against proposed cuts in the country's 2013 budget plan.
The demonstrators, many of them members of Spain's "Indignados" movement began their march at Plaza Espana in the heart of Madrid at 1800 local (1600GMT) and arrived at the parliament two hours later.
A Reuters witness on the ground estimated the crowd to be five-thousand strong.
Organisers of the protest said they planned to surround the Spanish parliament building.
A similar attempt in September left dozens injured.
The demonstrators reached the metal fence preventing them access to the parliament building and remained there chanting anti-austerity slogans.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy unveiled 13 billion euros in additional savings in a tough budget last month.
On Friday (October 26) jobless data showed that one in four Spanish workers were without a job in the third quarter of this year, a record high, and further layoffs are likely to follow next year as more of the country's 60 billion euro programme of budget austerity kicks in.
The official numbers follow labour unions call for a general strike for November 14, part of growing protests over cutbacks that many believe have done little to combat the crisis and only served to put more people out of work.
Spain's financing needs are largely covered for this year, and its cost of borrowing from bond markets has eased significantly since August thanks to the European Central Bank's promise to buy the country's bonds should it call for help.
Yet austerity measures, worth over 60 billion euros by 2014, are likely to crimp growth further, and cast more workers out of a job.
"Resignation, resignation" the crowd chanted after observing a minute of silence, with their backs to the parliament building. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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