Protests in Madrid over Spain’s economic crisis, and this day also against the European Union’s economic policy, concerned here that efforts to protect the euro will mean more economic austerity measures.
“Because we think that this system, capitalist system doesn’t work. It’s an unfair system and a lot of people (are) in a very very bad situation without money.”
It’s been just over a month since widespread protests started in Spain on May 15th, aiming to change the economic and political system in Spain, suffering with a 21% rate of unemployment. The so-called “May 15th Movement” has ended most of its protest encampments in emblematic plazas in Spanish cities.
Now they are trying to show the many ways their protest can continue. In Madrid, various marches like this one are converging on the city center this day from different directions.
Why are they coming from different directions? What does that mean?
“Because they, we want express. And that’s in our neighbourhood. People are gonna sit-in and I’m thinking that is something and we need to create something from neighbourhood.”
What are you trying to achieve? What’s left to achieve in the future?
“This system, the political and economic system, has demonstrated that it forgets ordinary people. So we are ordinary people and we want to change this system, because it doesn’t work for the most of the people.”
Do you think all of these people behind us will help change that system?
“Yeah, completely, completely so, because it doesn’t work.”
At mid-day, the large crowds reached a plaza near the Spanish parliament building. Most of the protests have been peaceful, but the police (are) on guard just in case.
A manifesto is read aloud. It’s the later show of force in a protest movement many demonstrators say is still coming of age.
Al Goodman, cnn, Madrid
