Credit-crunch protests in Europe

Riga, Latvia, 13 January 2009: Looters pick up food and spirits in a grocery store after protesters clash with anti-riot police officers during a rally near the Saeima (parliament). Thousands of people massed in the capital demanding snap elections and the resignation of the government in the face of a deepening economic crisis. The rally is one of the largest protest since the Baltic country won independence from the crumbling Soviet Union in 1991 Photograph: Ilmars Znotins/AFP/Getty Images

Riga, Latvia, 13 January 2009: Demonstrators clash with riot police on the streets in front of parliament. This is the first time violence has been used in the country during protests Photograph: Ints Kalnins/Reuters

Riga, Latvia, 13 January 2009: A man argues with riot police in front of parliament Photograph: Ints Kalnins/Reuters

Vilnius, Lithuania, 16 January 2009: A protester carries the national flag as thousands demonstrate against an austerity drive in front of parliament. At least one officer and one protester were injured in troubles which erupted only three days after similar protests in neighbouring Latvia also turned violent. Police said 7,000 people attended the Vilnius rally called by trade unions Photograph: Petras Malukas/AFP/Getty Images

Vilnius, Lithuania, 16 January 2009: Riot police stand in formation as they are bombarded with snowballs from angry protesters in front of parliament Photograph: Ints Kalnins/Reuters

Vilnius, Lithuania, 16 January 2009: Protesters throw stones at riot police during demonstrations outside parliment Photograph: Ints Kalnins/Reuters

Sofia, Bulgaria, 21 January 2009: Protesters wave the national flag and shout slogans during an anti-government protest in front of parliament in the capital. Bulgarians have held a rally to demand that the government resign because of alleged corruption and a deepening economic crisis Photograph: Petar Petrov/AP

Reykjavik, Iceland, 21 January 2009: Protesters clash with police during a demonstration over the handling of the financial crisis. Police used tear gas to break up an angry protest outside parliament and two officers were injured after being hit by rocks, police said Photograph: Thorvaldur Kristmundsson/AP

Reykjavik, Iceland, 21 January 2009: Protesters burn an effigy of the Icelandic prime minister, Geir Haarde, during a demonstration over the handling of the financial crisis Photograph: Thorvaldur Kristmundsson/AP

Reykjavik, Iceland, 26 January 2009: The prime minister, Geir Haarde, speaks to the media after announcing the immediate resignation of his government following massive protests over its handling of the country's dire economic crisis. Many Icelanders blame the government for the collapse of the country's financial sector in October, which led the state to take control of three major banks as the economy and currency faltered badly Photograph: Kristinn Ingvarsson/Getty

Nikea, Greece, 26 January 2009: Tractors block the Athens-Thessaloniki motorway near the city of Larisa, as farmers continue to occupy key junctions on the route and other roads in northern Greece, effectively slicing the country in two Photograph: Sakis Mitrolidis/Getty

Kulata, Bulgaria, 27 January 2009: A truck driver waits to pass the border between Greece and Bulgaria after Greek farmers blocked the road with tractors some nine days earlier to protest against the low prices of cotton, corn and wheat set by the European Union Photograph: Boryana Katsarova/Getty

Kulata, Bulgaria, 27 January 2009: A man walks past a line of trucks as they wait to cross the border into Greece. Bulgaria requested 'urgent help' from the EU the day before to help reopen border crossings shut for nearly a week by Greek farmers protesting against low food prices Photograph: Boryana Katsarova/Getty

Paris, France, 29 January 2009: Commuters wait for a train on a Metro platform at the Gare de l'Est station during France's first major strike triggered by the global financial crisis Photograph: Patrick Kovarik/Getty

St Lazare, Paris, 29 January 2009: A commuter walks on an empty platform at St Lazare station. Commuters biked, walked and took boats to work in freezing temperatures after public transport was halted due to workers' protests Photograph: Remy De La Mauviniere/AP

Promachonas border, northern Greece, 28 January 2009: A farmer crosses a road between tractors blocking the border crossing to Bulgaria Photograph: Yiorgos Karahalis/Reuters

Montpellier, southern France, 29 January 2009: France faced massive disruption to transport and public services on the day dubbed 'Black Thursday' Photograph: Pascal Guyot/Getty

Paris, France, 29 January 2009: A regional train enters the station as commuters wait on a platform in the capital during the one-day nationwide strike Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/REUTERS

Clermont-Ferrand, France, 29 January 2009: Demonstrations in France were the high point of a nationwide one-day strike called by the country's eight main trade unions to try to persuade President Nicolas Sarkozy and business leaders to do more to help ordinary people overcome the economic crisis Photograph: Rex Features

Edinburgh, Scotland, April 23 2008: Demonstrators protest outside Edinburgh International Conference where the Royal Bank of Scotland annual general meeting is taking place. The bank went on to accept a £20bn government bail-out Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

London, England, 13 October 2008: A grim reaper figure holds a globe pierced by the scythe of capitalism in front of the Bank of England during a protest. The British government announced a £37bn bail-out of three retail banks Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

London, England, 10 October 2008: Police clash with anti-capitalism protesters near the Bank of England. The London stockmarket plunged by almost 10% after fresh falls on Wall Street as investors continued to fret over the worldwide financial crisis Photograph: Geoff Caddick/Getty