Protests in Spain against budget plans

In the shadow of the parliament building in Madrid thousands of protesters from the indignados movement marched in protest at the governments budget plans for next year.

Deep spending cuts and tax hikes are planned in a bid to reduce the public deficit by the end of 2013.

Spain’s lower parliamentary house this week rejected amendments to the draft budget which lawmakers have to finalise before the end of the year.

“We are here to protest against the unfair budget planned by the government. A budget that is in fact a genocide. Because it means the weakest are going to suffer. The elderly, the children, the health system, education, culture. All of this is going to collapse when the government approves this ‘budget of terror’,” explained one of the demonstrators.

In Barcelona around one hundred grandparents took to the streets and attempted to enter the regional government building.

The demonstrators were involved in a face off with anti-riot police. It is reported two people were injured.

They are part of the elderly group of indignados who meet once a month to organise protests against government cuts.

Mariano Rajoy’s government has to make savings of around 150 billion euros in public spending by 2014.

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