European Cities Brace for Major Protests as Madrid Sees 250,000 March

Large protests are expected across European cities on Saturday, with a quarter of a million people already taking to the streets in Madrid, Spain's capital. The demonstration occurs amid a political dispute over the Spanish pension system. Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez accuses the right of planning to weaken inflation-adjusted increases. Participants, around 250,000 according to authorities, marched peacefully carrying signs reading "protect and guarantee our pensions." Beyond France's unrest, protests are planned in Albania's Tirana against Prime Minister Edi Rama, and in Italy, high police presence and drone surveillance accompany expected demonstrations over living costs in Rome, Milan, and other cities.