Thousands of students and public sector workers marched through Barcelona on Thursday, to protest against budget cuts and to call for improved working conditions in the education and healthcare sectors.
Secondary school teachers, university students, healthcare workers and other public sector employees joined forces to call on the Catalan government to reverse their austerity policies. Some 8,000 people took part in the protest, according to police estimates.
On Wednesday, firefighters had also protested against regional austerity measures, forcing Catalan security forces to push them back from outside the Catalan parliament. As a result, the Catalan Parliament was heavily guarded and protesters were not allowed near the building on Thursday.
Protesters are calling on the Catalan government of Quim Torra to reverse austerity measures implemented during the financial crisis, saying they are no longer necessary due to the improved economy.