Juan Manuel Sanchez Gordillo, the mayor of the small Spanish town of Marinaleda (population 2,645) in Andalusia, has begun a three-week march from Jodar, the city with the highest unemployment in the region, in protest against the continued austerity in the region.

Sanchez Gordillo has previously hit the headlines for accompanying activists who stole food from supermarkets to give to the poor.

The Irish Times has the story:

Seven people have been arrested for participating in the two raids, in which labour unionists, cheered on by supporters, piled food into supermarket carts and walked out without paying while Mr Sanchez Gordillo (59) stood outside.

He has political immunity as an elected member of Andalusia's regional parliament, but says he would be happy to renounce it and be arrested himself.

The International Business Times has video of the raid at which Sanchez Gordillo made his appearance: