Marchers to Rajoy: Stop cutting or step down

Demonstrators hemmed in by convoys of armoured police vans gathered at the Plaza de Espana on Saturday before walking to the building.

Once there they symbolically turned their backs on the parliament - guarded by officers on horseback and dog teams - for a minute's silence before facing it and shouting in unison: "Resign."

Protester Alan Pipo said that it was unacceptable to cut public services while giving unlimited bailouts to the private banks which created the economic crisis, noting that Spain had a budget surplus before the property bubble burst.

"And now they are going to give the banks a bailout, rescue them as if they were princesses," he added.

"They should be put out on the streets like the families being evicted from their homes because they can't pay the mortgage."

Thousands also protested in Barcelona against education cuts.