In scenes reminiscent of those witnessed five years ago, thousands marched through the streets of Madrid on Sunday (May 15) to mark the anniversary
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In scenes reminiscent of those witnessed five years ago, thousands marched through the streets of Madrid on Sunday (May 15) to mark the anniversary of the Indignados – or ‘Outraged’ – movement.
En Madrid los "indignados" se manifestaron en su quinto aniversario. https://t.co/oVVrNlTHRC pic.twitter.com/qnAQHjxS37
— Noticias RCN (@NoticiasRCN) May 16, 2016
In 2011, people frustrated at austerity measures, a 20 percent unemployment rate and other economic and social problems took to the streets nationwide. In the Spanish capital’s Puerta del Sol square the spontaneous protest turned into a 28-day occupation.
It gave rise to a new political era in Spain.
“I remember that the youths finally moved through the streets. Something that I miss now,” said one man at this weekend’s march. “A youth awareness of what is on the line, a country for them, nobody can do it for them.”
MOVIMIENTO 15 -M 2011: ¡¡INDIGNADOS DEMOCRACIA YA¡¡ Espontaneo Acampado durante un mes en La Puerta del Sol Madrid pic.twitter.com/qIlMKFgZhn
— Edith (@edisabela1) May 15, 2016
Another woman added:
“The discontent that we felt five years ago has resulted in new political parties that now have a real chance to form a government. They are creating a new kind of politics, aimed at change.”
The left-wing Podemos was born of the Indignados – or 15-M (May 15) – movement. It came out of December’s (2015) elections as Spain’s third largest party. Conservative and socialist dominance now a thing of the past, four parties are vying for power in a ballot scheduled for June.