Anti-austerity protests are continuing to sweep across Europe. In Madrid, Spain, last week, a group of scientists, some wearing black, gathered to hold a moment of silence for the research they say has been killed by budget cuts. In Portugal, tens of thousands protested Saturday in the cities of Lisbon and Porto against the government’s plans to extend austerity cuts in next year’s budget. And in Rome, Italy, tens of thousands took to the streets Saturday, a day after transportation, education and healthcare workers launched a 24-hour nationwide strike against continued austerity cuts in Italy’s new budget. A union spokesperson discussed Friday’s strike.

Piero Bernocchi: “We are saying stop the austerity measures that only hurt the weakest — the workers, the pensioners, the unemployed, those who are self-employed. They don’t touch in the slightest way the strong, those that have grown throughout this crisis and caused it.”