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Anti-austerity protests in Spain, Portugal draw tens of thousands (PHOTOS)
Saturday, September 29th, 2012

Tens of thousands of protesters rallied in the capitals of Spain and Portugal to protest against the austerity cuts during tough economic times.

The Associated Press said demonstrators in Madrid approached parliament to voice their anger over tax hikes, government spending cuts and the high unemployment rate in Spain.

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A Spanish civil guard with his mouth sealed with tape attends a demonstration of public service workers against government's spending cuts in Sevilla on September 29, 2012. Spain's government said it would freeze public sector pay, which has not risen since it was cut by five percent in 2010 and which suffered an effective seven-percent fall this year with the cutting of the end-of-year bonus.

(CRISTINA QUICLER - AFP/Getty Images)
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Firemen attend a demonstration of public service workers against government's spending cuts in Sevilla on September 29, 2012. Spain's government said it would freeze public sector pay, which has not risen since it was cut by five percent in 2010 and which suffered an effective seven-percent fall this year with the cutting of the end-of-year bonus.

(CRISTINA QUICLER - AFP/Getty Images)
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Firemen and policemen attend a demonstration of public service workers against government's spending cuts in Sevilla on September 29, 2012. Spain's government said it would freeze public sector pay, which has not risen since it was cut by five percent in 2010 and which suffered an effective seven-percent fall this year with the cutting of the end-of-year bonus.

(CRISTINA QUICLER - AFP/Getty Images)
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Children wave flags through smoke thrown by firemen and policemen during a demonstration of public service workers against government's spending cuts in Sevilla on September 29, 2012. Spain's government said it would freeze public sector pay, which has not risen since it was cut by five percent in 2010 and which suffered an effective seven-percent fall this year with the cutting of the end-of-year bonus.

(CRISTINA QUICLER - AFP/Getty Images)
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Protesters hold a poster reading "Troika shut up. Solidarity with Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal" as they demonstrate in front of the European Central Bank (ECB) on September 29, 2012 in Frankfurt/M., western Germany. Unions and social associations had called to take part in the demonstration themed "tax richness" for the redistribution of wealthiness.

(ARNE DEDERT - AFP/Getty Images)
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People protest against the Portuguese government's austerity policies at the Terreiro do Paco Square in Lisbon on September 29, 2012. Thousands of Portuguese took to the streets of Lisbon today in a new protest against government financial policies expected to get even tougher to meet pledges to creditors.

(PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA - AFP/Getty Images)
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People wave the Portuguese flag during a protest against government's austerity policies at the Terreiro do Paco Square in Lisbon on September 29, 2012. Thousands of Portuguese took to the streets of Lisbon today in a new protest against government financial policies expected to get even tougher to meet pledges to creditors.

(PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA - AFP/Getty Images)
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People take part in a demonstration against the Portuguese government's austerity policies at the Terreiro do Paco Square in Lisbon on September 29, 2012. Thousands of Portuguese took to the streets of Lisbon today in a new protest against government financial policies expected to get even tougher to meet pledges to creditors.

(PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA - AFP/Getty Images)
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Aman holds a sign reading "Future? I don't know if I have any" during a demonstration against the Portuguese government's austerity policies at the Terreiro do Paco Square in Lisbon on September 29, 2012. Thousands of Portuguese took to the streets of Lisbon today in a new protest against government financial policies expected to get even tougher to meet pledges to creditors.

(PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA - AFP/Getty Images)
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People take part in a demonstration against the Portuguese government's austerity policies at the Terreiro do Paco Square in Lisbon on September 29, 2012. Thousands of Portuguese took to the streets of Lisbon today in a new protest against government financial policies expected to get even tougher to meet pledges to creditors.

(PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA - AFP/Getty Images)
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A child holds a a placard reading "No" during a demonstration organized by Spain's "indignant" protesters, a popular movement against a political system that they say deprives ordinary Spaniards of a voice in the crisis, near the parliament building in Madrid on September 29, 2012. Helmeted riot police fired rubber bullets and baton-charged protesters on September 25, 2012 as thousands rallied near parliament in anger at the economic crisis, in clashes that left at least 14 people wounded.

(DOMINIQUE FAGET - AFP/Getty Images)
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Protester attend a demonstration organized by Spain's "indignant" protesters, a popular movement against a political system that they say deprives ordinary Spaniards of a voice in the crisis, near the parliament building in Madrid on September 29, 2012. Helmeted riot police fired rubber bullets and baton-charged protesters on September 25, 2012 as thousands rallied near parliament in anger at the economic crisis, in clashes that left at least 14 people wounded.

(DOMINIQUE FAGET - AFP/Getty Images)
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