Spain protesters vote to dismantle Puerta del Sol tent city

Source: The Guardian

Spain's spontaneous youth protesters on Wednesday promised to dismantle the tent city that has occupied Madrid's central Puerta del Sol square for three weeks, while hardcore elements who want to remain in place risk splitting the movement.

The so-called "indignant ones" will leave on Sunday, four weeks after a demonstration calling for reforms to the country's political system turned into a huge camp-out that spread to dozens of cities across Spain.

They will go with a goodbye rally, but without agreeing on a basic set of demands to put to politicians in a country where youth unemployment has hit 45%.The protests have brought a generation of young Spaniards into the political arena for the first time, with polls showing more than 70% of people feel sympathy towards them. "Young Spaniards have now learnt that they can do something, that they have strength and can react to what is going on," said blogger Ignacio Escolar. "This is not the end. I think they will use that strength again."

"The agreement was to remove the camp but keep coming back into the square for our assemblies and debates," said Nicolás, a Puerta del Sol spokesman. "Those who want to stay must decide how they want to do that and put their proposals to an assembly. If there is no consensus backing them, then they won't represent the movement."

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/08/spain-protesters-dismantle-puerta-sol