Spanish Miners' Battle Against Austerity Intensifies
Outrage over austerity and bank bailouts escalates as miners, families struggle from cuts
An Associated Press video released today shows Spanish miners in the northwestern provinces of Asturias and Leon in clashes with police over harsh austerity measures including major cuts to subsidies in the mining industry.
For more than 40 days, 14 minors have voluntarily locked themselves 3,000 feet underground in a mine to protest against governmental cuts. Conservative president President Mariano Rajoy announced in April that the government would cut subsidies in the sector by 63 percent.
The entire mining sector in the region has been on general strike since May 28.
The miners on strike maintain that the sector will plummet without governmental aid.
Meanwhile protests by the miners against the cuts, which began in May, have become more radical. Striking miners continue to block roads and railways while other miners, some armed with homemade rockets and slingshots, clash with unrelenting riot police on a daily basis.
Scores of miners from the region will be marching in protest to Madrid, where they plan to stage a demonstration on July 11.
* * *
Spanish Miners Battle Police Over Austerity (Associated Press)
* * *
Spanish Civil Guard officers fire tear gas canisters during a clash with coal miners on motorway AP-66, between Asturias and Leon, in Pola de Lena, near Oviedo, northern Spain June 26, 2012. (Reuters/Eloy Alonso)
# # #
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. The final deadline for our crucial Summer Campaign fundraising drive is just days away, and we’re falling short of our must-hit goal. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
An Associated Press video released today shows Spanish miners in the northwestern provinces of Asturias and Leon in clashes with police over harsh austerity measures including major cuts to subsidies in the mining industry.
For more than 40 days, 14 minors have voluntarily locked themselves 3,000 feet underground in a mine to protest against governmental cuts. Conservative president President Mariano Rajoy announced in April that the government would cut subsidies in the sector by 63 percent.
The entire mining sector in the region has been on general strike since May 28.
The miners on strike maintain that the sector will plummet without governmental aid.
Meanwhile protests by the miners against the cuts, which began in May, have become more radical. Striking miners continue to block roads and railways while other miners, some armed with homemade rockets and slingshots, clash with unrelenting riot police on a daily basis.
Scores of miners from the region will be marching in protest to Madrid, where they plan to stage a demonstration on July 11.
* * *
Spanish Miners Battle Police Over Austerity (Associated Press)
* * *
Spanish Civil Guard officers fire tear gas canisters during a clash with coal miners on motorway AP-66, between Asturias and Leon, in Pola de Lena, near Oviedo, northern Spain June 26, 2012. (Reuters/Eloy Alonso)
# # #
An Associated Press video released today shows Spanish miners in the northwestern provinces of Asturias and Leon in clashes with police over harsh austerity measures including major cuts to subsidies in the mining industry.
For more than 40 days, 14 minors have voluntarily locked themselves 3,000 feet underground in a mine to protest against governmental cuts. Conservative president President Mariano Rajoy announced in April that the government would cut subsidies in the sector by 63 percent.
The entire mining sector in the region has been on general strike since May 28.
The miners on strike maintain that the sector will plummet without governmental aid.
Meanwhile protests by the miners against the cuts, which began in May, have become more radical. Striking miners continue to block roads and railways while other miners, some armed with homemade rockets and slingshots, clash with unrelenting riot police on a daily basis.
Scores of miners from the region will be marching in protest to Madrid, where they plan to stage a demonstration on July 11.
* * *
Spanish Miners Battle Police Over Austerity (Associated Press)
* * *
Spanish Civil Guard officers fire tear gas canisters during a clash with coal miners on motorway AP-66, between Asturias and Leon, in Pola de Lena, near Oviedo, northern Spain June 26, 2012. (Reuters/Eloy Alonso)
# # #