Eloise HorsfieldHUNDREDS of angry Semana Santa marchers have gone on a protest march instead after La Linea council cancelled their parades.
The council took the decision amid safety fears after local police refused to work due to a pay dispute.
Officers announced they would not be policing the week-long event because they had not been paid for eight months.
The fallout over security is threatening to leave La Linea with no processions during Semana Santa for the first time on record.
Procession organisers have vowed to defy orders and go ahead regardless.
They insist they will use an army of unpaid volunteers to help with traffic control.
The brotherhoods are demanding the council sign documents exempting them from liability in the event of an accident.
Safety has become a growing issue in La Linea, with 52 of the 111-strong local police force having called in sick in recent days.
The tradition of semana santa must be upheld and the parades should continue with voluteer stewards .
What a laugh this country is with its police refusing to work.
@Fred, I suspect that if you were not paid for 8 months you would not carry out extra hours to police a public parade.
The police are amongst many public workers left unpaid by the La Linea junta.