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Police say 15 people were arrested and 39 people injured overnight in central Madrid after tens of thousands of people took part in a demonstration to protest the conservative government's latest austerity package.

Police fired rubber bullets to disperse groups of protesters in streets in and around the Spanish Parliament building. The protesters set fire to garbage containers and threw cans and other objects at the police.

A spokeswoman said Friday 10 police were among the injured. She spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with police regulations.

The demonstration Thursday evening in Madrid was one of 80 held in cities across Spain to protest the austerity measures the government says are necessary if Spain wants to avoid a bailout like Greece, Ireland and Portugal.