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Jeremy Corbyn has condemned thugs who spat on journalists including Channel 4 News' Michael Crick at a major anti-austerity march.

Ugly scenes broke out as 60,000 mostly peaceful people took to the streets of Manchester today to rail against Tory cuts during the party's annual conference.

Police arrested just four people during the demo, which featured speakers including Charlotte Church and protest singer Billy Bragg.

But four journalists, including household name Mr Crick, became the targets of activists, some of whom had scarves over their faces and Guy Fawkes masks.

Tonight they were condemned by TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady and a spokesman for Mr Corbyn, who warned activists only yesterday 'to focus on policy & to take no part in personal attacks'.

The spokesman said: "Jeremy strongly agrees with Frances O’Grady, what has happened is inexcusable and journalists must be able to do their jobs."

Ms O'Grady, who spoke at the rally, said: "What happened today was inexcusable. Journalists must be allowed to do their jobs."

Tories were told to hide their conference passes if they walked through the fray, but Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt went anyway and had to be escorted out by police.

(Image: Christopher Furlong)

After being hurried away next to placards that said 'NHS not Trident' and 'Don't be such a Hunt', he thanked police for accompanying him with 'total professionalism and calmness'.

A video showed Mr Crick, famous for cornering politicians, being cornered himself by several protesters wearing black scarves across their faces.

The video did not show the moment he was spat on but showed a scuffle between him and several protesters as police became involved.

Mr Crick wrote on Twitter: "Anarchists shout 'Tory scum' at us as we enter Conservative conference, and I was spat at. Thankfully the police came to my rescue."

Read more: Video shows moment Tory delegate is EGGED during anti-austerity rally in Manchester

The other journalists spat on were LBC political editor Theo Usherwood and Huffington Post reporter Owen Bennett, who was cornered alongside Telegraph reporter Kate McCann.

Mr Bennett said: "Spitting in someone's face. The new kinder, gentle politics?

"My overriding feeling is anger. Anger not just at the idiot who spat at me, but the hordes of protestors who surrounded us and said I, as a member of the press, deserved it."

Shadow culture secretary Michael Dugher and deputy leadership contender Stella Creasy were among Labour MPs who lined up to condemn the attacks.

Labour MP Jess Phillips wrote: "You lose argument when you spit at innocent bystanders. Don't we moan when journos don't report protest?"

Colleague Alison McGovern added: "No democracy without the press. And basic decency to each other."