Thousands of protesters filled the streets of Madrid on Saturday demanding the resignation of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The demonstration, organized by the Spanish Civil Society Association, saw participants from the opposition People’s Party and the far-right Vox party. Clashes broke out when protesters attempted to breach security barriers near Sánchez’s official residence, Moncloa Palace, leaving at least seven police officers injured. Police arrested three individuals during the unrest.

The protests erupted after a Spanish court announced an investigation into former Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, a close ally of Sánchez, on charges of influence peddling and money laundering. Zapatero has denied all allegations. The development has reignited political tensions in Spain, where Sánchez previously faced scrutiny in 2024 over corruption allegations involving his wife, which he dismissed as politically motivated.

Organizers claimed around 80,000 people joined the protest, while government officials in Madrid estimated the turnout at about 40,000, reflecting differing accounts of the scale of public dissent.