Catherwood LibraryILR School

Mass protest are taking place across Europe, in Spain, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Belgium and Latvia. A general strike in Spain has shut down most transportation, as well as some shops and banks. In Brussels, protesters are marching outside the European Union buildings, which have been sealed by the police. In Ireland, a protester drove a cement mixer into the gates of Parliament. The protests are against proposed austerity measures, which include cuts to public workers' wages and benefits, firings and raising retirement ages. The European Trade Union Conference said that it was hoping for 100,000 protesters in Brussels today. Workers across Europe say that they are upset at having to pay for the mistakes that banks made, and that there is still time for governments to reconsider.