While the disappointment and frustration in youths was building up gradually against the political and banking system since the global financial crisis, it took shape in the form of a movement on May 15, 2011 when lakhs of young people gathered in Madrid calling on more people to act against the follies of the financial markets.
The protests reflected the angst of the youth at the efforts of government to contain European sovereign debt crisis through bailouts of banks responsible for the crisis while continuing to announce cutbacks in social programmes. 14. The protests attracted wide reactions from political parties and earned broad support from the public at large and many famous personalities.