ITALY: COLOSSEUM IN ROME ILLUMINATED DURING VIGIL FOR KIDNAPPED ITALIAN JOURNALIST.

Record ID: 588606

  • Title: ITALY: COLOSSEUM IN ROME ILLUMINATED DURING VIGIL FOR KIDNAPPED ITALIAN JOURNALIST.
  • Date: 20th February 2005
  • Summary: (BN15) ROME, ITALY (FEBRUARY 19, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS: ROME'S COLOSSEUM ILLUMINATED; MOON; COLOSSEUM; VARIOUS OF CANDLES LIT AT CIRCUS MAXIMUS SPELLING IRAQ FREE (8 SHOTS) 0.48 2. LV/GV: SPECIAL CONCERT HELD (2 SHOTS) 0.56 3. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) DEMONSTRATOR, ILARIA, SAYING I really really hope that (today helped Sgrena) because the point of a demonstration is to express dissent, to make people understand that these wars or decisions are not made in our name, but in the name of only some 1.17 4. GV/LV: CONCERT (3 SHOTS) 1.32 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 7th March 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ROME, ITALY
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVA8BIFEAJ7UE8JBZ71ZGJSR0LVG
  • Story Text: Rome's Colosseum lit up as protesters demand release
    of left-wing journalist held hostage in Iraq.



    Rome's Colosseum played centre stage to a protest on
    Saturday (February 19) aimed at securing the release of an
    Italian journalist held hostage in Iraq.

    The famous site, once home to brutal executions, was
    lit up for the occasion.

    Giuliana Sgrena, who writes for Communist daily Il
    Manifesto, was seized in Baghdad on February 4 while
    carrying out interviews. Sobbing and wringing her hands,
    Sgrena appeared on a video this week pleading for her life.

    Tens of thousands of Italians, many waving
    rainbow-coloured peace banners, marched silently through
    Rome on Saturday to demand she be released.

    Organisers claimed half a million people joined the
    protest, which snaked its way past the Colosseum.

    Earlier in the day, candles spelling out Free Iraq were
    lit in Romes ancient chariot track, the Circus Maximus,
    where the demonstrators converged for a rally and music
    concert featuring prominent Italian artists.

    Fifty-seven-year-old Sgrena is at least the eighth
    Italian to have been taken hostage in Iraq. Another
    journalist, Enzo Baldoni, was seized last August and later
    killed by his captors.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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