Spain’s indignado protesters mark anniversary of anti-austerity rallies

The Guardian reports: Tens of thousands of “indignado” protesters have taken part in overnight rallies across Spain, with police evicting a few hundred hardcore demonstrators from city squares during the largely peaceful protests.

At least 100,000 people took to the streets across dozens of towns and cities to mark the first anniversary of the Occupy Madrid’s movement.

“They don’t represent us!” was the most common chant directed at the country’s politicians as a carnival atmosphere reigned in cities such as Puerta del Sol. Protesters there included parents with young children on their shoulders and a group of pensioners called The Indignant Grandparents.

A new conservative government led by Mariano Rajoy has banned camps this year. Its attempts to impose time limits on the protests failed, however, with thousands of chanting people still occupying Puerta Sol’s city square at midnight, despite being told to leave at 10pm.

Police acted calmly and moved into squares between 2am and 5am on Sunday morning, when indignado numbers had reduced.

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