Europe Protests: In Pictures

Protestors across Europe have taken to the streets to demonstrate against austerity measures imposed by governments as a result of the debt crisis and recession.

Governments are planning measures that include public pay freezes, tax raises, increases in retirement age and possible pension cuts. In 13 European capital cities, general strikes and other demonstrations against public spending cuts have been organized by trade unions and work groups, causing congestion, public disorder and even violence.

Click ahead for scenes from the protests in Europe, which will be updated at the situation progresses.

Posted 29 Sept 2010

A man walks past burning garbage bins in central Barcelona during the general strike held in whole Spain on September 29, 2010 as unions launched a 24-hour general strike all around Spain to protest tough government labor reforms and austerity measures.

A police car burns in central Barcelona during the general strike held in Spain on September 29, 2010 as unions launched a 24-hour general strike all around Spain to protest tough government labor reforms and austerity measures.

Romanian members of the BNS trade union shout anti-government slogans in Bucharest on September 28, 2010. Some 5,000 people demonstrated on September 28 in the third protest in a week against government austerity plans, which include slashing salaries for public sector workers.

Demonstrators are in particular demanding the cancellation of a 25 percent cut in civil service salaries and raising of the retirement age to 65.

Trucks are lined up on the Croatian side of the border with Slovenia at the main border crossing at Bregana, some 30 kilometers from Zagreb on September 27, 2010.

The strike of Slovenian custom officers, who joined the national strike of public sector workers, caused the enormous traffic jam. More than half of Slovenia's public sector workers began industrial action against government plans to freeze salaries until year 2012 as part of measures aimed at reducing the public deficit.

The center-left government led by Prime Minister Borut Pahor is preparing a law that will freeze public sector wages as part of a package of austerity measures.

Italian workers, members of the CGIL trade union take part in a rally in central Rome's Piazza Farnese on September 29, 2010.

A man tips a burning garbage bin into the the fire in central Barcelona during the general strike held in whole Spain on September 29, 2010.

A demonstrator reacts after being hit by anti riot police in central Barcelona during the general strike held in Spain on September 29, 2010 as unions launched a 24-hour general strike all around Spain to protest tough government labor reforms and austerity measures.

A protestor shouts slogans while joining striking Hellenic railways employees and other public tranport unions in a protest march in Athens on September 29, 2010.

Greek workers unions joined the European day of action against the austerity measures with the main unions demonstrations scheduled later in the day.

Protesters march behind Solidarity banner during demonstration against budget cuts, Warsaw, Poland

Anti-systems activists raid a store they broke into in central Barcelona during the general strike.

People demonstrate to say ''no to austerity'', on September 29, 2010 in Brussels. Police threw a ring of steel around EU headquarters as tens of thousands in a sea of banners from across Europe took to the streets in a worker backlash against painful spending cuts.

The protest, the biggest such march since 2001 when 80,000 people invaded the Belgian capital, was timed to coincide with an EU plan to fine governments running up deficits.

Anti riot police vans drive through an area with clashes between demonstrators and police in central Barcelona during the general strike held in Spain on September 29, 2010 as unions launched a 24-hour general strike all around Spain to protest tough government labor reforms and austerity measures.

Protesters dressed as bankers and traders take part in an EU-wide demonstration against austerity on September 29, 2010 in Brussels. The protest was timed to coincide with a plan to fine governments running up deficits. Placard at center reads: 'Leave our earnings' and at right: 'Don't touch our benefits.'

A demonstrator fights an anti riot police member in central Barcelona during the general strike held in Spain on September 29, 2010 as unions launched a 24-hour general strike all around Spain to protest tough government labor reforms and austerity measures.

An Italian worker, member of the CGILtrade union and wearing a tee-shirt against Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi take part in a rally in central Rome's Piazza Farnese.