Video: Spain: rubber bullets fired at violent anti-austerity protest The protest, promoted over the Internet by different activist groups, was younger and more rowdy than recent marches called by labour unions. Protesters said they were fed up with cuts to public salaries and health and education. The 2013 budget is the second one conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has had to pass since he took office in December. Spain must persuade its European partners that it can cut the budget shortfall by more than 60 billion euros by 2014. Also on Tuesday, the treasury ministry said the central government deficit to the end of August had reached 4.77 per cent of GDP, already above its year-end target of 4.5 per cent of GDP.