Spanish police take action against protestors by firing rubber bullets

Spanish police fired rubber bullets and charged protestors in central Madrid early Friday at the end of a huge demonstration against economic crisis measures. The protest was was one of over 80 demonstrations called by unions across
the county against civil servant pay cuts and tax hikes which drew tens of thousands of people, including police and fire-fighters wearing their helmets. “Hands up, this is a robbery!” protesters bellowed as they marched through the streets of the Spanish
capital.

At the end of the peaceful protest dozens of protestors lingered at the Puerta del Sol, a large square in the heart of Madrid where the demonstration wound up late on Thursday.

Some threw bottles at police and set up barriers made up of plastic bins and cardboard boxes in the middle of side streets leading to the square and set them on fire, sending plumes of thick smoke into the air.

Riot police then charged some of the protestors, striking them with batons when they tried to reach the heavily-guarded parliament building. The approach of the riot police sent protestors running through the streets of the Spanish
capital as tourists sitting on outdoor patios looked on.

A police official told the media that officers arrested seven people while six people were injured. The protests held Thursday were the latest and biggest in an almost daily series of demonstrations that erupted last week when
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced measures to save 65 billion Euros ($80 billion) and slash the public deficit.

Among the steps is a cut to the Christmas bonus paid to civil servants, equivalent to a seven-per cent reduction in annual pay. This came on top of a pay cut in 2010, which was followed by a salary freeze.

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Posted by Hamza Jahangir on Jul 20 2012. Filed under World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry