As European governments implement austerity measures across much of the region, mass protests are beginning to spread. Riot police have been deployed in Greece and in France, where groups are protesting because the government increased the retirement age by two years recently, may soon see some of their largest industries affected, including the airlines which have indicated that their fuel supplies lines have been cut by protesters.

It’s clear that Europe’s economy is in trouble, and that austerity measures need to be implemented, as the entire EU has essentially become one large welfare state, much like the United States. And what is happening in Europe will come to the shores of the U.S., says trend forecaster Gerald Celente of the Trends Research Institute:

It’s beginning. You’re seeing it with the Tea Parties. Of course they’ve been co-opted by the Republican Party. But remember, no one would have ever thought that would have happened three years ago. So the movement is in place.

This is our forecast. People are going to wait for the elections in November. They think they’re going to have some other change you can believe in. It won’t happen. When the economic winter sets in, then you’re going to start seeing people protesting more and more. No, this is just the beginning. The United States is slow on the draw when it comes to protesting.

But get ready for it. We see it happening in 2011 and 2012.

Just like Europe’s overbloated social systems, the United States will have to start cutting costs – it will be a matter of financial survival for the nation. Unfortunately, we’re so indebted at this point, that austerity measures will likely fall short of anything meaningful and the eventual outcome – the only way for us to cover our debts – is going to be either total default or total destruction of the U.S. dollar.

Add to that the increased taxes that working Americans will be paying, and higher costs for essential goods like food and energy combined with a depreciating dollar, and many of our countrymen will be left with no choice but to hit the streets in protest.

Our view is that, if we’re talking about the inability of an individual to acquire food for their family for lack of funds because government food stamps are no longer enough or because they don’t have a job, protests may quickly evolve into mass riots, especially in major cities. The blame game will be in full effect, and the people are going to be pointing their fingers straight at elected officials and government’s lack of ability to mitigate the crisis.

As Ron Paul recently pointed out, the federal government will be proven totally inept before this is all said and done.

Watch Gerald Celente on RT: