TRAFALGAR Square’s fountain ran blood red at the weekend during a protest against domestic violence victim centres being closed down.

More than 500 women led by action group Sisters Uncut attended the demonstration in central London where dye was dropped into the fountain to turn the water bright red.

Passers-by watched while the women — including domestic violence survivors and support workers — chanted: “They cut, we bleed” over Chancellor George Osborne’s “austerity” measures, which left at least 30 centres shutting their doors since 2010.

In his spending review, Mr Osborne had announced further cuts to council budgets that would put any remaining support centres in severe jeopardy.

Ama Roberts from Sisters Uncut said: “Many people don’t realise that cuts to local councils equate to cuts to domestic violence support services.

“They are a lifeline. If more services shut down, more women will die.”

Mr Osborne said that the 5 per cent “tampon tax” would go towards funding these centres, which effectively puts the burden on women to keep services afloat to protect themselves from abuse.

Sisters Uncut describe his proposals as a “sticking plaster on a haemorrhage.”

They also held a funeral-themed protest in Soho to mourn the centres that assist people, mainly women, who have fled mistreatment and are still at risk of cruelty by their ex or current partners.

Protesters wore black clothes and veils as they read out the names of all the women — an average of two per week — who have been killed by their spouse.