On Tuesday, thousands of Spanish protesters clashed with police in Madrid as the government prepared a new round of unpopular austerity measures for the 2013 budget to be announced on Thursday.

They gathered in central Madrid and formed a human chain around parliament, surrounded by barricades, police trucks and more than 1,500 police in riot gear.

Police fired rubber bullets and beat protesters with truncheons, first as protesters were trying to tear down barriers and later to clear the square. Police said at least 22 people had been arrested and at least 32 injured, including four policemen.

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.

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