Photo Gallery Protests in Madrid's Puerta del Sol
Young people have been protesting on Madrid's Puerta del Sol square since Sunday against the country's political leadership. This image is from Wednesday.
Many protesters stayed overnight on the square despite a ban on the protests in Madrid. This photo was taken in the early hours of Thursday.
Protesters on Puerta del Sol on Thursday morning. The demonstrators are protesting against the country's political parties, high unemployment and Spain's handling of the economic crisis.
Protests have been held in dozens of Spanish cities, including Barcelona, seen here. They are urging a boycott of the country's leading political parties. This sign reads: "Don't vote for them."
Around 500 riot police were present at the Puerta del Sol square but did not intervene. Thousands of protesters gathered there on Wednesday evening.
The demonstrations have been compared to the Tahrir Square protests in Egypt that helped topple dictator Hosni Mubarak.
The demonstrations have been organized using social media such as Twitter and Facebook. This photo shows an improvised communications office on Puerta del Sol square.
Youth unemployment in Spain is at a staggering 45 percent. Here Spanish expatriates in London take part in a demonstration.
A protester outside the Spanish Embassy in London.
Police search demonstrators heading for Puerta del Sol square in Madrid.
The protestors want a boycott of the major political parties, the ruling Socialists (PSOE) and the center-right opposition People's Party (PP), in Sunday's municipal and regional elections.
A protester pastes slogans on a wall in Puerta del Sol square.
Madrid electoral board banned the demonstration on Wednesday because it could influence Sunday's elections, but the protesters ignored the ban.
Spain's growth is lagging behind that of Central European countries and unemployment is at over 21 percent, the highest in the European Union.
