Spain's 'indignants' to take over streets

Two months after they launched a movement against the economic crisis and soaring unemployment, Spain's so-called "indignant" protesters were converging on Madrid again on Saturday.Seven cross-country protest marches were set to reach the city's Puerto del Sol square Saturday evening on the eve of a demonstration through the streets of the Spanish capital.Protesters carrying sleeping bags and groundsheets set off from cities across the country at the end of June, including Barcelona, Malaga, Valencia and Bilbao, to applause from sympathisers.

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Spanish cities Sunday to protest work reforms introduced by the country's conservative government.Two of Spain's biggest unions, UGT and CCOO, called for rallies ahead of a planned general strike on March 29. They want the government to scrap labour reforms including reduced unemployment payments and a more flexible workforce.Unions said rallies took place in 60 cities and towns across Spain, including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville.

Madrid will rename its landmark Sol metro station "Sol Vodafone" under an advertising deal with the British mobile operator to raise millions of euros in the recession, officials said on Wednesday.

Spain's "indignant" protest movement against economic inequality and spending cuts continues to enjoy widespread support a year after it was launched, a poll published on Sunday showed.Overall 68 percent of Spaniards said they had sympathy for the movement, compared to 66 percent who expressed that opinion in June 2011 just after it was born with the establishment of a sprawling encampment at Madrid's central Puerta del Sol square, according to the survey published in El Pais.

Protesters will take to the streets worldwide on Saturday, inspired by the "Occupy Wall Street" and "Indignants" movements, to vent their anger against alleged corporate greed and government cutbacks.The organisers, relying heavily on Facebook and Twitter, say demonstrations will be held in 951 cities across 82 countries in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and Africa.It is the first global show of power by the movement, born May 15 when a rally in Madrid's central square of Puerta del Sol sparked a protest that spread nationwide, then to other countries.

It is balmy, spring weather outside: the kind of weather one can't blame NFP, GDP, retail sales or German ZEW misses on. Which means Europe's protest season is now officially open.

Tens of thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Madrid Sunday blaming bankers and politicians for causing a financial crisis that forced the country to adopt painful spending cuts.Demonstrators of all ages linked to a protest movement called the "indignants" assembled early Sunday in several neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Madrid.They then formed six columns and converged on the city centre, gathering near Spain's parliament where they met various forms of police resistance, including 12 vans blocking several major roads.

Protesters decrying Spain's economic woes vowed Monday to occupy a major Madrid square indefinitely as the movement spread to Europe, despite the risk of police action.Thousands of protesters against political corruption, welfare cuts and unemployment had voted by a show of hands late Sunday to stay in the Puerta del Sol square, agreeing to decide later on the duration.