Thousands of people gathered to the streets of Spain on Saturday to protest rising food, electricity, and fuel prices, which have been increased by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to AFP, the far-right Vox party called the protests, which took place in Spain’s major cities, in order to tap into growing societal unhappiness over the spiraling cost of living, which has left many families struggling to pay their bills.
Several thousand demonstrators gathered outside Madrid’s City Hall, waving hundreds of Spanish flags and screaming loud slogans demanding the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
“Sanchez, you’re rubbish, bring down our bills!” they echoed.
“We have the worst possible government.. It’s not even a government, it’s a misery factory… which plunders and extorts workers through abusive taxes,” Vox leader, Santiago Abascal told the rally.
“We will not leave the streets until this illegitimate government is expelled.”
This government “is taking everything from us”, said Anabel, a 56-year-old demonstrator who didn’t give her surname.
“They hike the light and gas prices and say it’s because of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, but that’s a lie. It was like this before,” she told AFP.
