Spain braces for more protests over economic woes

A march to mark an anniversary in Quebec’s protest movement was swiftly broken up Friday by a police force that has shown increasing strictness in applying municipal bylaws. Several hundred protesters had gathered to mark the event on a cold, grey afternoon — which was a far cry from a year earlier when, on a scorching summer-like day, tens of thousands of students staged a huge and memorable march. The police response was also different this March 22.

Spain's "indignants" will take to the streets Saturday to mark the birth a year ago of their protest movement against government spending cuts, economic inequality and sky-high unemployment.The activists, who once led hundreds of thousands into the streets, plan to protest in 80 towns and cities across the country, including Madrid and Barcelona.The marches will launch a four-day protest that will end on May 15, on the anniversary of the movement's birth in Madrid's central Puerta del Sol square.

Demonstrations were expected in 80 Spanish cities on Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the so-called May 15 movement, which a year ago brought out tens of thousands of people to the streets to rail against the economic and political system.