Anti-austerity protests hit Europe

Thousands of workers from across Europe have taken to the streets to protest against a growing number of austerity measures adopted by governments to combat public deficit crises. Police barricaded banks and shops in Brussels, the headquarters of the European Union, where labour leaders estimated 100,000 people turned out; other estimates placed the turnout closer to 60,000. Strikes and demonstrations over austerity measures were also held in Spain, Greece, Portugal, Slovenia, Poland, Italy, Serbia and Ireland. "We're here to say 'no' to the multiplying number of austerity plans, whether adopted by governments or by European institutions," Bernard Thibault, head of the major CGT French trade union, said in Brussels. Europe lost millions of jobs during the financial crisis, and more look set to vanish as public sectors across the region are shrunk by debt-laden governments eager to save money.