Spanish police have fired rubber bullets and charged protesters in central Madrid after a huge demonstration against economic crisis measures. Thick smoke hung in the air early on Friday from plastic bins set alight by protestors chased by police, who hit them with batons when some tried to reach the heavily-guarded parliament at the end of a mostly peaceful march.

Spain police clash with austerity protesters

Police use rubber bullets and arrests several people in Madrid as protesters take to the streets across the country.

Al Jazeera
July 20, 2012

Spanish police have fired rubber bullets and charged protesters in central Madrid after a huge demonstration against economic crisis measures.

Thick smoke hung in the air early on Friday from plastic bins set alight by protestors chased by police, who hit them with batons when some tried to reach the heavily-guarded parliament at the end of a mostly peaceful march.

AFP reporters at the scene said dozens of protesters lingered, some throwing bottles at police, near the Puerta del Sol, the big square at the heart of the city where a march of hundreds of thousands wound up late Thursday.

A police official said that officers arrested seven people and six others were injured.

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