ITALY: HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ANTI-WAR DEMONSTRATORS ARE DUE TO DESCEND ON CITY OF FLORENCE AS SOCIAL FORUM APPROACHES

Record ID: 208444

  • Title: ITALY: HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ANTI-WAR DEMONSTRATORS ARE DUE TO DESCEND ON CITY OF FLORENCE AS SOCIAL FORUM APPROACHES
  • Date: 7th November 2002
  • Summary: (U3) FLORENCE, ITALY (NOVEMBER 5, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. GV/HAS FLORENCE SKYLINE (3 SHOTS) 0.17 2. SLV FAMOUS TOURIST ATTRACTION, PONTE VECCHIO, WITH SHOPS 0.21 3. SLV/ MV CLOSED SHOPS 0.26 4. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) FLORENTINE RESIDENT, FABRIZIO ANDREUCCI SAYING "Maybe some will close down because people are afraid something will happen and they are not entirely wrong. Florence is an open city, however, the fear inspired by past events is still here." 0.51 5. MV TOURISTS ON PONTE VECCHIO SHOPPING (3 SHOTS) 1.13 6. SLV POLICEMEN WALKING IN TOWN 1.21 7. SSLV EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM REGISTRATION CENTRE (2 SHOTS) 1.26 8. SLV/MV PEOPLE QUEUING AT REGISTRATION COUNTERS 1.41 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH VISITOR ANTHONY CANTRELL SAYING "I love it, I love it all these like-minded people all want peace. I mean, come on Bush, are you listening George Bush." 1.50 10. MV VOLUNTEERS WORKING AT REGISTRATION CENTRE (4 SHOTS) 2.04 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CO-ORDINATION SUPERVISOR ISABEL SARIO SAYING "Maybe we have a minority of radicals and they have their own space inside the movement. But I really think the big majority of people, like me and you, just believe another world is possible and we do our best." 2.27 12. SLV PAN ENTRANCE OF CONFERENCE CENTRE AT FORTEZZA DA BASSO 2.35 13. SLV FINAL ADJUSTMENTS BEING MADE AT CONFERENCE CENTRE (3 SHOTS) 2.53 14. SCU EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM POSTER SAYING: NO WAR 2.58 15. SLV CONFERENCE CENTRE 3.01 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 22nd November 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: FLORENCE, ITALY
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVA763QM0UXG2QKUET5RGHJU1DDZ
  • Story Text: More than 100,000 anti-war demonstrators will descend
    on the arts city of Florence this week, with Italian police
    anxious to prevent a repeat of a G8 summit last year, when
    they shot dead a protester.

    Over five days this week, tens of thousands of
    anti-globalisation and anti-war campaigners will gather in the
    Renaissance city of Florence for forums and discussions,
    culminating in a march on Saturday (November 10, 2002) to oppose
    United States (U.S.) military action against Iraq.

    The meeting is billed as the European Social Forum, an
    attempt to bring together disparate anti-globalisation groups
    from across the continent, and is based on the World Social
    Forum that meets in Porto Alegre, Brazil, each year.

    Organisers have said repeatedly that the gathering has
    entirely peaceful goals, but have also conceded that no-one
    can be sure violent groups with anarchist and anti-capitalist
    agendas won't try to create chaos.

    For Italy's security forces, still dealing with the
    fallout from the Genoa G8 summit in July 2001, when they
    received wide condemnation for beating hundreds of protesters
    and killing one, the gathering will be a major test of
    temperament and training.

    Many shops remain open in the city for the moment but most
    will close during the demonstration on Saturday (November 10).

    "Maybe some will close down because people are afraid
    something will happen and they are not entirely wrong.

    Florence is an open city, however, the fear inspired by past
    events is still here," said Florentine resident Fabrizio
    Andreucci.

    Closed-circuit television cameras have been installed
    throughout the city, which houses artistic gems including
    Michelangelo's 'David', the Ponte Vecchio, and the
    world-renowned Uffizi museums, drawing 25,000 tourists a day.

    But members of the social forum are saying their gathering
    will be peaceful with the main aim being to demonstrate
    against any war proposed by U.S. President George Bush on
    Iraq.

    "I love it, I love it all these like-minded people all
    want peace. I mean, come on Bush, are you listening George
    Bush?," said social forum member Anthony Cantrell who had
    travelled from Liverpool.

    "Maybe we have a minority of radicals and they have their
    own space inside the movement. But I really think the big
    majority of people, like me and you, just believe another
    world is possible and we do our best," said co-ordination
    supervisor Isabel Sario at the conference centre of Fortezza
    di Basso, Florence's medieval fort.


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