Striking Miners in Romania Attack Police

Mobs of striking coal miners stormed through police lines Thursday, attacking riot troops with clubs and homemade explosives. Dozens of police were taken hostage and one was reported killed as the miners refused to stop their march on the capital.

More than 130 people were injured and up to 50 police kidnapped in the fierce assault as 7,000 miners overran government roadblocks on a central highway leading to Bucharest.

Antenna 1 private television said a police officer was shot to death during the clashes, but the station did not elaborate. There was no official confirmation.

For two hours, police defended their positions with smoke bombs and tear gas--but, outnumbered and outmaneuvered, the 3,400 police finally retreated.

Buoyed by their success, miners shouted, “Down with the government!” and then boarded buses for Bucharest, 110 miles to the southeast.

The violence erupted after the miners rejected the government’s offer of more negotiations aimed at ending the 17-day-old strike. The crisis is the most serious challenge to the government since it was elected in 1996. The miners are seeking higher wages and job protection.

Coming out of an emergency meeting Thursday, President Emil Constantinescu said the conflict was “damaging the authority of the state.”

He later convened the Supreme Defense Council, a crisis body consisting of himself and other top government, military and police officials.

They debated whether to curtail civil rights by declaring a state of emergency.