Miners take protest march to Madrid

Hundreds of coalminers who had staged a long march from northern Spain protested in the streets of Madrid against cuts in mining subsidies they say will put them out of work, as public discontent over austerity measures grows.

The miners, who had walked 400km from the Asturias region over 44 days, were joined by thousands of supporters, including labour activists, after receiving a hero’s welcome on marching into the capital during the night with lamps lit on their helmets.

Public anger over spending cuts has risen as school and hospital budgets have been hit. Manuel Corte, a security worker from Asturias who joined the miners’ demonstration, called the new cuts a “disaster”.