Wearing caplamps, thousands of miners chanting and throwing firecrackers marched through the center of Madrid in the early morning hours of July 11 in protest against government austerity measures, according to the Telegraph. Joined by trade unionists in the capital, the miners rallied noisily at the climax of a 44-day protest against a 60% cut in coal subsidies which they say will force mines to close and put many out of work. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced more pain in a new series of taxes and spending cuts.

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