Hundreds of thousands of Spaniards marched against the centre-right government's latest austerity measures this evening, following more than a week of demonstrations across the country.
Earlier, Parliament approved a package of €65bn of spending cuts and tax hikes as part of measures to avert a full European bail-out, bringing more hardship in a severe economic downturn.
Demonstrators took to the streets in towns and cities across Spain.
They thronged the thoroughfares of Madrid and Barcelona, waving flags and bearing banners decorated with scissors to symbolise spending cuts.
In Madrid, crowds of firemen wearing helmets and t-shirts with the slogan "Firemen in danger of extinction" blew horns and let off firecrackers.
Policemen and members of the Civil Guard joined the protests.
"We have lived through bad times, but this takes the biscuit," said 58-year-old fireman Francisco Vaquero.
The sight of demonstrators on Spain's streets is nothing new.
Young "Indignados" (Indignants) protested in their thousands against unemployment last year. One in four Spaniards is without work.
But since Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced spending cuts and tax rises last week there have been daily demonstrations drawing protests from public service workers like police that have previously stayed away.
Civil servants, whose pay was cut by up to 7% when their Christmas bonus was cancelled, have used their coffee breaks this week to protest outside the ruling People's Party (PP) headquarters in Madrid.
"We have to make some noise, because they're making fun of us and of all working people," said Iria, 34, an auditor in the treasury, during a rally outside the PP building on Wednesday.
