Trending 
Thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets of Madrid on Saturday, demanding the resignation of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez over corruption allegations involving members of his inner circle and family.
Demonstrators carried Spanish flags and banners calling for new elections and an end to impunity during the rally, which was organised by more than 150 civic groups and backed by the conservative Popular Party and far-right Vox.
Organisers claimed about 120,000 people attended the protest, while government officials estimated the turnout at around 40,000.
The demonstration ended near the prime minister’s official residence, where riot police reportedly stopped a small group of demonstrators attempting to move closer to the compound.
Authorities said three people were arrested and seven police officers sustained minor injuries during the protest.
Far-right Vox leader Santiago Abascal accused Sanchez’s political circle of being engulfed in serious corruption allegations.
“There is no-one left in Pedro Sanchez’s circle who has not been accused of very serious crimes. Spain is being held hostage by a corrupt mafia,” Abascal told reporters before the start of the march.
Sanchez, who came to power in 2018 after a no-confidence vote against the previous conservative government over corruption scandals, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and described the investigations involving his relatives and allies as politically motivated.
His wife, Begona Gomez, remains under investigation in a corruption case, while his brother David is expected to stand trial over influence-peddling allegations.
Former transport minister Jose Luis Abalos is also awaiting a verdict in a separate corruption trial.
Pressure on the government increased further this week after a court reportedly placed former prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero under formal investigation over alleged influence peddling and other offences.
