Spain: Anti-war protests in Spain have been increasing - if not in size, certainly in violence - as each day of the war progresses, writes Jane Walker in Madrid
Although none of them has matched the several millions who demonstrated last month, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets of towns and cities across the country over the weekend, and in many cases these demonstrators clashed with police, who have been accused by opposition parties of over-reacting and of using unnecessary force.
At least 60 people, 20 of them police, were injured in Madrid on Saturday night when a group of about 400 youths, some of them masked, broke away from the main body of the march to smash windows and phone booths, burn rubbish containers and throw bottles and stones at the police, who detained three of them.
The first ugly clashes occurred on Friday night when several thousand people demonstrated peacefully outside the US embassy and tried to form a human chain from the embassy building to the headquarters of the governing Popular Party (PP). Dozens of anti-riot jeeps sealed off the streets near the PP offices in a display of strength some witnesses said they had not seen in Madrid since the transition to democracy 20 years ago.
Jose, a Madrid lawyer, described how police had charged without warning: "We walking peacefully, linking hands in a chain, from the embassy, but police had formed a cordon to prevent us reaching the PP offices. Suddenly, without provocation, they began to fire rubber bullets and hit out with their truncheons. As we ran away, we saw several jeeps with their doors open and police firing from inside."
An estimated 500,000 Catalans demonstrated in the streets of Barcelona on Saturday night in a march attended by politicians of all parties except the PP. There were demands for the resignation of the prime minister, Jose-Maria Aznar, but insults were also chanted against President Bush, Tony Blair, Ariel Sharon and even Saddam Hussein.
As the march was ending, a group of about 40 broke away and threw paint, eggs and stones at official buildings and at TV outside-broadcast vans. Some of the organisers tried to prevent the violence, but at least two policemen were injured and one demonstrator was arrested.
Pacifist groups have vowed to continue their protest this week, with workers staging stoppages and demonstrations. Flags are flying at half-mast at nearly all Spanish universities, where the rectors, professors and students have joined in almost unanimous protests.