Protesters attack a police van during a general strike in central Barcelona today. Photograph: Reuters

8.45pm: With Spain (and London!) now in darkness, it's time for a summary of the day's events.

Spain's first general strike for 18 months has been well-supported, as citizens protest against the government's labour reforms and austerity plans.

Protests began early, with demonstrators clashing with police in several cities as they tried to disrupt buses and prevent lorries arriving at, or leaving, wholesale markets. Over 50 people were arrested, and a small number treated for injuries.

Unions say they were pleased with the turnout today. Transport links have been badly affected, with hundreds of flights cancelled, and trains and buses delayed.

Mariano Rajoy's government, though, refused to bow to pressure. Ministers insisted that the labour reforms are essential.

This evening, peaceful marches took place in Madrid and Valencia, with hundreds of thousands of people massing in Madrid's central square.

However, there have been many examples of violence in Barcelona, including reports of teargas and rubber bullets being used, and of a Starbucks being set alight.

Tomorrow, Spain will remain in the spotlight as the government announces its new austerity budget, while in Copenhagen, eurozone ministers will meet and – hopefully – agree the details of a new firewall.

8.30pm: One last snippet of information from Spain – there are reports that as many as 900,000 people took part in the march to Madrid's centre square, Puerta del Sol, this evening.

Protesters crowd in Madrid's landmark Puerta del Sol square for a closing rally tonight. Photograph: Paul Hanna/Reuters

And here's a beautiful picture of the rally taking place there tonight.

8.10pm: In the reader comments below, Extranjero reports from the scene in Barcelona:

The official union demo in the Passeig de Gracia was big, peaceful and slow – Spanish demos don't move fast. Went from La Pedrera to the Facade de Discord in 2hrs! Noisy but otherwise peaceful (and well policed). They stopped it early to avoid running into where the trouble was kicking off. It has finished without any trouble.

However, on the way home walking through Placa Universitat there were burning bins and a much more menacing atmosphere – amazing how an atmosphere can change in a few streets. And then suddenly lots of people running from the direction of Placa Catalunya and behind them sound of some kind of gun type thing being fired. Everybody was running for a few moments but it quickly settled down. However, it is going dark now and there are lot of people still on the streets.

That tallies with Giles Tremlett's point, in the 7.44pm post, that much of the activity in Barcelona has still been peaceful.

7.44pm: More reports of the trouble in Barcelona are coming in.

Barcelona's La Vanguardia newspaper says that one of its film crews has had a camera grabbed and broken by protesters who were smashing shop windows. 

Giles Tremlett reports from Spain that:

Fringe groups appear to be adding a dose of violence to the largely peaceful strike there, which has seen a massive demonstration in the city centre this evening. Shops and restaurants in Barcelona's Rambla de Catalunya boulevarde were attacked earlier.

And there are also reports that a Starbucks store in Barcelona was set alight.

7.30pm: One more photo from Barcelona:

A photo from Barcelona tonight. Photograph: Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images

Not a full-blown baton charge, of course, as has reportedly taken place tonight. But an example of the confrontations between riot police and protesters.

7.28pm: A tale of three protests (3/3).

El Pais is reporting tonight that Barcelona police confirm they have used rubber bullets and teargas. Pictures are appearing of masked groups entering shops there, and of baton charges (reports Giles Tremlett, our correspondent in Spain).

Protesters clash with riot policemen during a demonstration in Barcelona. Photograph: Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images

This photo shows the contrast between Barcelona, and Madrid and Valencia....

7.23pm: A tale of three protests (2/3).

Valencia this evening. Photograph: Jose Jordan/AFP/Getty Images

This image shows a large turnout for a march in Valencia tonight.

7.17pm: A tale of three protests (1/3).

The scene in Madrid. Photograph: Alberto Di Lolli/AP

Here's a new picture showing the peaceful mass march in Madrid this evening.

7.01pm: The eurozone crisis has been rumbling along in Ireland too today, where a cash payment of more than €3bn by the Irish taxpayer to the most toxic bank in the republic's banking system has been deferred.

Henry McDonald, our Ireland correspondent reports:

Ireland's finance minister, Michael Noonan, told the Irish parliament today that the €3.06bn payment to the former Anglo Irish Bank won't be paid by the 31 March deadline.

The payment to the bank now known as the IBCR will now be financed through the issue of a long-term Irish government bond.

In the Dail, Noonan said the move would allow wider discussions between the government and the EU/IMF troika on the structure of the promissory notes being used to fund IBRC.

Noonan said it would have only a €90m impact on the general government deficit this year, but it would help Ireland's debt sustainability. He said the money from the EU/IMF deal earmarked for the payment could now be used to give Ireland greater flexibility on its plan to return to the bond markets.

The minister said the long-term bond would be financed for one year on commercial terms by Bank of Ireland, which in turn would deal with the European central bank.

"The net effect of this transaction is to reduce the economic cost for the state as a whole of refinancing this payment," Noonan said. "Given these benefits the government is going to proceed with the proposed settlement approach."

But The United Left Alliance has dismissed Noonan's announcement as "nothing more than accountancy trickery".

6.50pm: Barcelona has been the site of some of the most alarming scenes today.

Video streamed on El Pais' website shows a stand-off between police and demonstrators, as smoke laps the streets. 

Photograph: Gustau Nacarino/Reuters

This photo from earlier this afternoon shows a firefighter in action in Barcelona.

Meanwhile, the march in Madrid (see 6.32pm) appears to be proceeding smoothly. There appear to be many thousands of people on the streets, many carrying banners or waving flags with slogans opposing the government's labour reforms.

6.32pm: In Madrid, demonstrators are beginning a large march that should end in La Puerta del Sol, the city's main square.

Here's a photo from the scene, via Twitter:

Occupy Congress

Photo: Massive march about to begin in Madrid, Spain. Protestors want a stop to austerity measures in the E.U. #29Mpic.twitter.com/gdeMJypd

Photo: Massive march about to begin in Madrid, Spain.

6.21pm: Here's another video clip, showing some of today's disruption in Spain (including the fires in Barcelona, and footage of people trying to break windows).

You can also hear from some of the people who joined the strike. One, identified as "Lorenzo" explained that he took part because:

...the new government has abused its powers. Erasing and denying those achievements we reached with many years of work and sacrifice.

6.00pm: Events seemed to calm down in parts of Spain this afternoon, after this morning's action. In Madrid, protesters even organised a "siesta" in the Cibeles square in Madrid.

Photograph: Dani Pozo/AFP/Getty Images

The banner reads: "What a fantastic siesta."

For more information go to the source at the Guardian.

Source: guardian.co.uk