Pope starts Spain visit with call for economic ethics

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MADRID (Reuters) - Pope Benedict denounced economic structures that put profits ahead of people on Thursday at the start of a trip to recession-hit Spain where the costs of the pontiff's visit have sparked violent protests.

"The economy cannot be measured by the maximum profit but by the common good," Benedict told journalists on the plane taking him to Madrid at the start of a four-day visit centered around the Roman Catholic Church's World Youth Day festivities.

"The economy cannot function only with mercantile self-regulation but needs an ethical reason in order to work for man," he said.

The Spanish economy is struggling to exit a recession which has left one in five unemployed, of which a large proportion are young people. Disaffection over government spending cuts, a sickly economy and a lack of job prospects has spawned a protest movement named "Los Indignados" (Indignant Ones) whose young supporters occupied Madrid's Puerta del Sol square in May.

The costs of 84-year-old Benedict's visit to Spain at a time of economic hardship has reignited protests by Los Indignados and others, including gay and lesbian groups, and demonstrations turned violent on Wednesday evening.

Under the slogan 'nothing for the Pope from my taxes', thousands of marchers made their way from the central Tirso de Molina square to Puerta del Sol where tensions between protesters and pilgrims led to clashes which were broken up by police.

Eight people were hurt and eight were arrested, police and emergency services said.

"It is costing a lot of money for the Spanish state which is going through a bad moment," said 55-year old Rosa Vazquez on the march, holding a placard saying 'Religion is the opium of the people, don't drug yourself with our taxes."