Police in Barcelona have attacked protesters that have been camped out since May 15 in the city's Plaza Catalunya. The protesters originally were trying to apply pressure to the public to not vote in last weekend's local Spanish elections. Those elections resulted in sharp losses for the country's Socialist Party government.

Protesters have remained in squares across Spain since the election, demanding government reforms and renewed attention to the country's unemployment crisis.

The forceful move against the protesters today in Barcelona was staged to clear the square out ahead of FC Barcelona's Champions League final match against Manchester United tomorrow evening. But to many, it may just appear the beginning of a government crackdown on the country's protesters.

Videos are now surfacing of the police assault. The video includes violence on unarmed protesters (via Zero Hedge):