Madrid:
Hundreds of firemen, police officers and nurses demonstrated on Monday against Spain's latest austerity plan, a day after thousands hit the streets in protest.
"Hands up, it's a hold-up," the protestors cried, repeating a slogan echoed across the country in the ever-frequent protests.
The Madrid demonstration was in response to calls to protest on social networking sites, including under the hashtag #graciasfuncionarios on micro-blogging site Twitter.
Mass discontent has grown following a new 65-billion-euro ($80 billion) austerity package announced by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy last week, after the European Union ordered new cuts and tax increases to meet deficit-cutting commitments.
On Friday, the government approved the tight-fisted measures that include a sales tax rise, lower jobless benefits and public sector pay cuts and that evening thousands of people protested on the streets of Madrid.
After thousands more assembled on Sunday, several hundred hit the streets again Monday to vent their frustration.
"It's intolerable. The problems of the Spanish state don't stem from civil servants. It's not our fault. It's illogical. It's unfair and shameful," said nurse Miguel Contreras, 28, who came over from the central Castille-La Mancha region.
"These measures will ruin Spain. We don't consume, we don't shop anymore. We have to hit the streets, we can't stay silent," said regional government worker Angeles Carrasco, 57.
Spain's two main unions have called for another strike for Thursday.
Despite the growing resentment, unions say they are determined to keep protests peaceful after two lots of clashes between protesters and police in the Spanish capital last week led to a number of arrests and 23 light injuries.
Spain will this month become the fourth eurozone country, after Greece, Ireland and Portugal, to get bailout funds when it receives the first tranche of a 100-billion-euro kitty for its banking sector.
The bailout is likely to provoke further ire from Spaniards who feel their banks go unpunished while they are forced to tighten the purse strings on a daily basis.