Singing miners march on Madrid

Miners who have marched over 400 kilometres from the north of Spain to protest against government cuts gather to sing on their arrival in Aravaca, near Madrid, on July 9. Over 200 miners from Asturias, Castilla y León and Aragón took part in the march, which they hope will persuade the government not to cut 200 million euros in annual subsidies for the sector. The miners argue that this cut will effectively bring an end to Spain’s coal industry. The song they and supporters are singing is ‘Santa Bárbara Bendita’, a traditional mining ballad.