Scenes From The European Protests

Austerity measures have been a major point of tension between European governments and their population, often resulting in violent clashes.

Over the past several months, coordinated demonstrations have been held in nearly every European nation, protesting everything from taxes and a rising retirement age to cuts in benefits and inflated student costs.

In addition to the budget protests are demonstrations against unpopular leaders and other government actions, which have caused protestors to take to the streets en masse.

Here are scenes from the past several months of European protests, including the most recent demonstrations in Italy and the UK.

Updated 14 Dec 2010

Students set a rubbish container on fire during a demonstration on December 22, 2010 in Palermo.

Rallies across the country came just over a week after protest clashes in the center of Rome that injured nearly 200 people and saw cars set alight and tear gas fired in some of the most tourist-heavy streets of the Italian capital.

Students clash with police during a demonstration on December 22, 2010 in Palermo, to protest against a radical reform of the university system planned by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government.

Rallies across the country came just over a week after protest clashes in the center of Rome that injured nearly 200 people and saw cars set alight. Tear gas was fired in some of the most tourist-heavy streets of the Italian capital.

Students clash with police during a demonstration on December 22, 2010 in Palermo, to protest against a radical reform of the university system planned by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government.

Students demonstrate on December 22, 2010 in Palermo, to protest against a radical reform of the university system planned by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government.

Protestors throw missiles over police vehicles blocking a street during a protest called by university students in Rome, Italy on December 14, 2010.

Wooden pallets bunr as police and demonstrators clash during a protest called by university students against the vote of confidence in Silvio Berlusconi's government on December 14, 2010 in Rome, Italy.

The Italian PM scraped through a crucial confidence vote in the lower house of parliament by 314 votes in favour and 311 against.

Clashes between police and demonstrators during a protest called by university students against the vote of confidence of Silvio Berlusconi's government on December 14, 2010 in Rome, Italy.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi scraped through a crucial confidence vote in the lower house of parliament by 314 votes in favour and 311 against.

A protestor gestures towards police during a protest called by university students against the Italitan government on December 14, 2010 in Rome, Italy.

Protestors clash with police officers during a protest called by university students against the vote of confidence of Silvio Berlusconi's government on December 14, 2010 in Rome, Italy.

Police wait after a charge against protestors, during a protest called by university students against the vote of confidence in Silvio Berlusconi's government on December 14, 2010 in Rome, Italy.

Protestors are demonstrating as a results of unfavorable austerity measures imposed by Berlusconi's government.

British riot police clash with demonstrators in Parliament Square during student demonstrations in London, on December 9, 2010.

Angry demonstrators clashed with police in a student protest outside parliament Thursday as the coalition government faced its biggest test yet in a vote on proposals to triple university tuition fees.

A protestor is detained by police following clashes in Parliament Square during student demonstrations in London, on December 9, 2010.

Police officers clash with student protestors in Parliament Square on December 9, 2010 in London, England. Parliament is voting  on whether to implement the coalition Government's proposals to increase university tuition fees in England from 3,290 GBP to 9,000 GBP.

Student protests get ugly in London as the demonstrators pelt police officers with various projectiles, and even steel fencing, shown here. The protests are happening directly outside the British Parliament.

Protestors burn wooden benches in Parliament Square during student demonstrations in London, on December 9, 2010.

British police clash with demonstrators in Parliament Square during student demonstrations, leading to some protestors being detained, as in this case, on December 9, 2010.

A protestor (foreground) pretends to read a book as a vandalised portakabin is set on fire during student demonstrations in Parliament Square.

A demonstrator holds a giant replica textbook during a protest outside the University of London, on 9 December 2010, as thousands of students prepare to take part in protests against government proposals to allow universities to triple tuition fees.

The proposed change -- which would see students at English universities charged fees of up to 9,000 pounds (14,200 dollars, 10,700 euros) a year, have exposed deep tensions within the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition.

A demonstrator protests outside the University of London in central London, on 9 December 2010, as thousands of students prepare to take part in protests against government proposals to let universities triple tuition fees.

Firefighters take part in a protest against the government's austerity measures in front of the Ministry of Economy in Athens on December 9, 2010.

Student protestors gather for a march on Parliament at The University of London on December 9, 2010 in London, England. 

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg has seen a backlash to the plans from members of his party as they contradict their pre-election pledge to abolish tuition fees.

A poster of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is held by a student demonstrator on December 9, 2010 in London, England. The sign is in protest of Clegg's reversal on his campaign promises.

Students from the University of Pisa occupied the leaning Tower of Pisa on November 25, 2010 in Pisa, Italy. About 2,000 University students in Pisa formed a human chain around the famous tower stopping tourists from entering and about 20 students climbed up the monument showing a banner reading 'No reform'.

Students in Pisa joined nationwide college and high school student protests with marches and occupations against educational reforms by the Italian government, that include large cuts in funding of public universities.

Italian police face students protest in front of the Italian Lower House in Rome on November 25, 2010. Students from several cities protested against the government's proposed reform of the university system.

A university student holds a placard reading 'If you block our future, we'll block the city' during a protest in Palermo on November 26, 2010 against the government's proposed reform of the university system and budget cuts that Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government has engaged to carry out by 2013.

Students and academics are outraged over cuts of around nine billion euros ($12 billion) and 130,000 jobs in the education system. The Chamber of Deputies is set to vote on the reform on November 30.

Protesters hold a banner reading "civil attack" during a rally against a controversial tax reform on Independence Square, in Kiev, on November 22, 2010. In recent months, small- and medium-sized business owners have repeatedly criticized the government's plan to unify several laws into a tax code due to enter into force on January 1.

Striking protesters clash with police forces blocking their way to the Interior ministry in Athens during a demonstration by municipality garbage collectors on November 23, 2010. The workers, who are on a new 48-hours strike, demand better pay and job security.

Students, holding shields with titles of books written on them, face police on a tiny street in Rome on November 24, 2010. Some 2000 students took to the streets to protest a reform of the university system and budget cuts by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government. 

Also on November 23rd, people hold a banner during a demonstration in the French southwestern city of Toulouse, to protest against France's government pensions reform law which increase the minimum retirement age from 60 to 62.

Action against the reforms, which was passed by parliament earlier this month, could take the form of work stoppages, rallies or meetings. The banner reads: 'Together from 7 to 77 years-old (and more) for our jobs, our wages, and our pensions'.

Policemen stand guard in front of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's office during a rally gathering thousands of small business owners.

An Irish policeman confronts protestors as they break through the front gates of the Irish Prime Ministers office in Dublin, Ireland, on November 22, 2010.

Ireland was hammering out the conditions of an EU bailout package worth up to 90 billion euros, sending the single currency soaring but sparking fierce criticism at home of the already beleaguered government.

A demonstrator holds a smoke grenade next to an effigy of Britain's Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, during a protest against the British Government's spending cuts, in London on November 23, 2010.

People take part in a demonstration in Bordeaux, southwestern France on November 23, 2010 to protest against France's government pensions reform law which increase the minimum pension retirement age from 60 to 62.

Action against the reforms, which was passed by parliament earlier this month, could take the form of work stoppages, rallies or meetings. Banner reads 'Employment, pensions'.

Protesters hold a giant head wearing a crown reading 'Taxes' during a rally against a controversial tax reform on Independence Square, in Kiev, on November 22, 2010.

Striking municipality garbage collectors hold a banner reading 'Guys get up and take to the streets', words of a famous anti-junta resistance song, in front of police forces during a demonstration in Athens on November 23, 2010.

People take part in a demonstration in Lyon, southeastern France on November 23, 2010.

The sign on the left reads: 'Pensions: a bogus reform, bogus symbol, bogus five-year term run by a little bugger'. The other sign reads: 'Sarkozi is like Pinocchio, his nose grows when he lies'.