May 15 protestors occupy private buildings after forging global voice

Buoyed by the success of an unparalleled rally held in Madrid's Puerta del Sol, and encouraged by the wave of sister protests popping up around the world, a group of 15-M demonstrators took over an abandoned hotel in the Spanish capital on Sunday as part of what they say is their next strategy "to free up spaces for common use."

About 50 people have positioned themselves around the dilapidated building on Carretas street in order to prevent the police from dislodging an unknown number of squatters, who took over the hotel before dawn.

The plan was hatched at Saturday's massive rally, which saw an estimated 500,000 people converge on Sol in what is being seen as the movement's most successful turn-out to date. Ideas were thrown about as to what public buildings to "occupy" after word had reached the group that their fellow "outraged ones" in Barcelona had invaded various hospitals and the regional television station TV3.

"Our goal is to make use of private property for the public," said one protestor, who declined to give his name.

When asked if the squatters had the backing of the 15-M organizers, another demonstrator explained that "the 15-M doesn't have the authority - only the people who come out to the street to fight."

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister José María Aznar of the opposition Popular Party (PP) described the 15-M demonstrators as "no more than a poor anti-establishment movement that is linked to groups on the extreme left.

"Their representation isn't important to Spanish society," the former prime minister was quoted as saying in an interview with the Ecuadorian daily El Universo on Sunday.