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Mass protests continue in Spanish capital | ||||||||
2011-07-25 | ||||||||
[Al Jazeera] Thousands of Spain's "indignant" protesters - including hundreds who crossed the country on foot - marched through Madrid and once again filled the downtown Sol square to demonstrate against high unemployment and the economic crisis. Six columns of more than 500 protesters who marched for weeks from cities across Spain formed the core of Sunday's demonstration. The protesters who call themselves the "indignados" meaning the indignant or outraged, began converging on Madrid a day earlier, two months after they launched their movement.
"Politicians don't represent us! No! no! No!" the crowd chanted, with some waving handmade banners reading "It's not a crisis, it's the system that's wrong".
Physiotherapists and masseurs accompanied demonstrators to treat them for aching legs and blistered feet.
Protesters said they were outraged with politicians for failing to solve Spain's high unemployment and accuse them of being uncaring, corrupt and inept. They first began demonstrating before the regional elections in May in response to the perceived failure of politicians to represent the electorate. Demonstrators had set off from cities across the country at the end of June, including Barcelona, Malaga, Valencia and Bilbao. Many used the opportunity to stop on the way to Madrid by holding public meetings to spread their message of outrage. On Saturday, several dozen demonstrators stopped outside Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's official residence just north of Madrid to wave banners and chant slogans.
The protesters have won broad public support in their fight against austerity measures introduced by the Spanish government, with 200,000 people attending rallies across the country. Too vague The movement, although it has been able to gather large numbers of supporters, has been criticised for being too vague in its demands - but demonstrators say there are issues that everyone agrees on. "In two months, we have had some good responses," said demonstrator Fernando Carasa."We have stopped about 60 expulsions, created social pressure and achieved a bigger mobilisation than any political party."
But Spaniards say while this has been happening, their own worries are being ignored. Unemployment has soared to 14-year highs and almost half of under-25s are out of work. Banks have cut off credit lines, consumer prices are rising faster than the regional average, investment has been slashed and house prices have plummeted. Earlier this month, the socialist government set new limits on the amount of money that banks can reclaim from mortgage defaulters in what was seen as an effort to appease the protesters.
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Posted by:Fred |
#3 to find a place in the Middle East with very little oil. Â Â But lots of natural gas. Life is an iron. ;-) |
Posted by: trailing wife 2011-07-25 23:47 |
#2 not a mere month or two. It took the Israelites that long to find a place in the Middle East with very little oil. |
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2011-07-25 10:32 |
#1 Soooo....hows that Socialist renewable energy investment scheme workin' for ya? |
Posted by: DepotGuy 2011-07-25 10:18 |