Riot Police, Protesters Clash in Madrid

The Spanish riot police fired rubber bullets to disperse protesters in Madrid as workers held their biggest-ever protest rallies across the country against austerity measures.

Tens of thousands of public employees and trade union members have been marching in dozens of Spanish cities to protest the latest batch of austerity measures imposed by the government.

Riot police clashed with protesters on Thursday night, using rubber bullets and batons to disperse the crowds in Madrid.

In Madrid, Protesters gathered outside the People’s Party offices of Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy before clashing with riot police who also used batons to disperse the crowds.

Amid fears of more violence, barricades have been put around Puerta del Sol, the city’s main square, where the protest camp is set up.

As a part of its belt-tightening measures, the Spanish government has decreased unemployment benefits and raised sales tax from 18 to 21 percent.

Spain is to become the fourth eurozone country to receive bailout funds from the European Union in return for imposing the deeply-unpopular austerity measures. The country is mired in its second recession in three years.