Many of the unemployed protesters arrived in the Spanish capital on foot, having walked hundreds of kilometers. They claim to be gathering in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol Square to fight for their future and the future of their children – all of which they fear will be stolen by more austerity. Almost one out of four is unemployed in modern-day Spain.

Protesters blame the government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy for his poor handling of the economic crisis. They say the government has found the funds to bail out Spain's banking sector that created the crisis, but is unable to help those citizens being crushed under a debt burden they have dubbed “modern slavery”.