Police break up anti-Franco march

Anti-fascist protesters demonstrate before the clashes with police

MADRID, Spain -- Spaniards on the far right and left have marked the 25th anniversary of the death of dictator Francisco Franco with a contrast of memorials and protests, one of which was broken up by police.

The man who ruled Spain with absolute power for 36 years died at 82 on November 20, 1975.

Several hundred admirers of Franco rallied in front of Madrid's royal palace, with one of Franco's former doctors telling the crowd that since the dictator's death, Spain had suffered.

"What is happening is nothing more and nothing less than the disappearance of Spain," said Luis Teigel, whipping up a crowd that burst into chants of "Franco! Franco!" and fascist salutes.

VIDEO CNN's Madrid Bureau chief, Al Goodman looks for signs of former dictator, Francisco Franco twenty-five years after his death Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

A few blocks away hundreds of anti-fascists staged a protest march that was broken up by police.

Police said trouble began when protesters threw bottles at them and smashed windows. Riot police responded by firing rubber balls into the crowd and using truncheons.

Several store fronts were smashed, and a newspaper recycling bin was set on fire.

There were no clashes between demonstrators of the opposing events.

Elsewhere, protesters in Franco's hometown of Ferrol, in the northwestern Galicia region, mounted an equestrian statue of Franco and splashed it with pink paint.

A peaceful anti-fascist march also took place in Barcelona.

Thousands of people had flocked to Franco's tomb at the Valley of the Fallen, northwest of Madrid, on Saturday, where his daughter, Carmen Franco de Polo, was greeted with cheers and applause, raised flags and salutes.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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