VO: (00:00 – 00:45) By Tuesday morning, the air was thick with tension.

For weeks, the Spanish police had been hunting down and detaining activists organizing the controversial 'Surround Congress' action, dubbed 25S.  Anything promoting the event was taken down immediately by the police; cultural centers where 25S meetings were taken place were raided and shut down.

Activists were detained.

As buses headed toward Madrid for the big day, the police stopped them. 

Those who did make it to Madrid by Monday morning speak of the police harassment and intimidation leading up to September 25th.

SOT 1: (00:46 - 00:59) "The government has illustrated the dynamics of paranoia and fear, which has led to this repression to try to scare the people.  The result of this repression, as always, is what you see here"

VO: (01:00 – 01:10) The police surrounded demonstrators at all the main meeting points before protesters marched to congress.  Police helicopters flew overhead all day. 

BRIDGE; (01:11 - 01:36) As protesters start moving from Plaza de Espana which was one of the many meeting points for demonstrators, you can see the police are heavily equipped in riot gear and they too are getting ready to move with the demonstrators.  This action has been called by the Spanish government a possible coup d’état.  No one here is armed and a number of the police who are participating include families with children, the unemployed and old people. 

CHANTING: (01:37- 01:41) "these [hands] are our arms!

VO: (01:42 – 01:56) As this march begins, the anger and tension amongst the protesters is visible.

Although the main trade unions, which usually mobilize masses, did not endorse the action, many of their workers showed up anyway.

SOT - (01:57 - 02:13) "We don't identity with this kind of demonstration.  But thanks to the government for calling this a coup d’état, we, who defend democracy, consider it an insult, to call those who take the streets orchestrators of a coup.  Because usually those calling it a coup are the ones defending this administration." 

VO: (02:13 – 02:56) The people here charge the right wing government with theft of public wealth and driving the country into poverty.  Many here insist their frustration is mounting which brought them to the workplace of their politicians.  Their demands include the removal of the current government, new elections, and the rewriting of the constitution. 

Those surrounding the parliament are part of the broader indigos movement born on May 15th of last year. 

This protest is yet another showing of anti-austerity public outrage. 

Bridge: (02:57 - 03:16) “We're about one block away from the congress and what has happened is, a number of demonstrations coming from different plazas in the city to converge here, have been cut off by the police.  This is one of those groups.  And just on the opposite end of it, you can actually see demonstrators on that side trying to get in, they too have been blocked by the police.”

SOT -  (03:17 - 03:30) “You are reprimanding the people for asking the prime minister for his resignation, and give us a new election.  Because he has deceived the people, and you know that! He [PM Rajoy] has increased taxes, enough reason for you to detain the prime minister, but you don't have the courage"

COURTESY VIDEO: (03:31 - 03:43) PAIS

VO: (03:31 – 04:01) On the opposite side of this march, a larger demonstration approaches the gates of congress and violence erupts.  The police viciously attack and detain protesters and members of the press.

As the police expand their line away from the congress, the protesters remain defiant.

Then their patience wears thin and the police start to push forward.

BRIDGE: (04:02 - 04:10) "Now the press has been kicked into the area with the demonstrators.  So it would seem to be a human traffic jam between protesters, press and also, the police" 

VO: (04:11 – 04:35) On the other end of the police line, clashes break out and again the police attack.

Many are detained and dragged away. 

Then, shots ring out and the scene escalates into complete disorder

Bridge: (04:36 - 04:54) "The situation has turned extremely chaotic here.  People wouldn't leave.  Initially they were sitting down, maintaining a non-violent situation.  And then out of nowhere, the police started pushing the frontline.  There is just chaotic running happening everywhere and people are starting to fight back."

VO: (04:55 – 05:04) The police break off into small groups and chase down demonstrators.  Along the way, beating and detaining those trying to flee. 

Bridge: (05:05 - 05:20) at one point it was the people who were outnumbered but now it’s the police who are ver outnumbered by the protesters.  And they are throwing huge bricks at the police, rocks, glass… and they are responding with rubber bullets.

VO: (05:21 – 06:35) Now it is the police who are under attack. 

They shoot rubber bullets at close range into terrified crowds of people.

Some take refuge in this restaurant.  The owner pleads with the police to leave.

The police chase continues as protesters run in all directions.  Those being shot by their rubber bullets include women and journalists. 

The police seem bewildered and at times disorganized in the face of mounting anger.

They began to chase protesters up the small streets, but notice they are outnumbered and retreat. 

SOT - (06:25 - 06:36) Our parents fought against Franco's police! And we fight against you! Your are all the sons of the fascists!  Tomorrow, your children will have nothing to eat!

VO: (06:37 – 06:54) Back at the congress, a couple of hundreds of protesters, mostly young and unemployed hold their ground.

All the while, the police continue to hunt down and arrest protesters.

SOT - (06:55 - 07:20) There has been a lot of tension.  And the police started to charge indiscriminately toward anyone.  They didn't care that even journalists were caught in he middle. We are returning to fascist repression.  They don't understand they have to protect the people.  And it's the people who are being attacked by them.  Always, they use force by force.  It's the only weapon they have, violence.  Just violence"

VO: (07:21 – 07:54) By Wednesday morning, government officials in Madrid congratulated the police force for how they handled the protesters.   Thirty-four people where arrested and over a dozen injured.  Protesters vowed they would return, and surrounded the parliament again Wednesday night, ending in more police violence.

Immediately, activists called for another mass demonstration outside the gates of parliament on Saturday.

BRIDGE – (07:55 – 08:09) “Spaniards are flowing back into the area surrounding congress in droves… If the government expected to intimidate people out of attending this action, it would seem the exact opposite has happened”

SOT – (08:10 – 08:25) “They are afraid because we can revolt and they can’t control us. Which is what they want, to control us all. That is what they are afraid of, that we have a point of view and opinions different from theirs and that we won’t let them do what they want.”

VO: (08:26 – 08:34) Despite the threat of possible police violence, many came out with their families.

SOT – (08:35 – 09:16) “Our parents fought for us, and we fight for them”

“And for him to see what it is to struggle.  This is too much.  This happened when Franco was in power.”

“It’s a very important moment because we are deciding on whether we will have a rich class and a poor class.  And poor people won’t have aspirations for a good education and healthcare.  These are our fundamental rights.”

“And why all of these police officers? Because they have fear.  We don’t come here to agitate. Why all the police?  And if they have fear it’s because they have done something wrong.  What they are doing is wrong”

VO: (09:17 – 09:46) On Friday, the government announced over 52 billions dollars in spending cuts has been issued for the 2013 budget.

In an attempt to save it’s failing banks and lower borrowing costs, the governments plans to slash funding to healthcare, education, public works, and cultural arts. The budget includes a 15% tax hike, freezing public sector wages and reducing unemployment benefits.

SOT – (09:47 – 10:00) “The enormous private debt that belongs to the banks.  What the government is doing is inserting this private debt into public funding.  This private debt has now turned into public debt.  It’s the grand swindling by the magicians of Spain”

SOT – (10:01- 10:16) “They change the laws and make their justice so that for example some pyromaniacs would get a harsh sentencing. But they are stealing and nothing happens.  The banks steal and they [government] don’t do anything. How do we eat that?”

VO: (10:17 – 10:55) By Saturday evening, the congress was once again surrounded by thousands of people.  But when the numbers thinned out, the police started to move in.

The police start arresting people who refuse to leave, protesters hurled cans and water bottles at the police.

Some pleaded to keep the peace.

Protesters throw themselves in front of police vehicles.  They are given an ultimatum, leave or face arrest.

SOT – (10:55 – 11:03) “I consider you a human being.  But I want you to consider me a human being too.  We are not animals, we are people.”

VO: (11:04 – 12:08) Steadily growing impatient, the police charge forward, viciously attacking protesters and the press.

As we try to film, the police push us and other journalists into frantic protesters.

One man is beaten unconscious and carried out by medics.

Lines of riot police began to chase protesters out of the area.

There’s a brief standoff… But not before long, the police line moves ahead.

They storm down the streets surrounding congress leading into residential neighborhoods, shooting rubber bullets into fleeing crowds.

BRIDGE – (12:09 – 12:30) “Charging the demonstrators down this street will probably be a bit more difficult, because as you can tell, this is a commercial district.  They pushed about seven blocks away from the congress and they have reached into residential neighborhoods. The police are just beyond that area, and here there are bars and lounges.  These are areas where people are going out, they have no idea what is going on.”

VO: (12:31 – 13:14) This video shows the police breaking into private properties searching for protesters.  Other accounts illustrate the police storming into packed bars to track people down.

As the press tries to film their raid, they are attacked and pushed back by the police.

Back at the parliament, protesters were fully cleared from the area.

The week culminates in a wave of unrest that also rocked the Eurozone’s debt-ridden Greece and Portugal.

The anti-austerity protests that raged the night before and throughout last week did not stop the government from moving closer to another European bailout by Sunday morning.

The streets may be clear for now, but as the crisis in Spain deepens with no end in sight, popular resistance towards the government and it’s austerity project is only intensifying.

Jihan Hafiz Madrid