ITALY: GROUPS OF PROTESTERS SCUFFLE WITH EACH OTHER DURING ANTI-WAR MARCH AGAINST VISITING U.S. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH

Record ID: 648089

  • Title: ITALY: GROUPS OF PROTESTERS SCUFFLE WITH EACH OTHER DURING ANTI-WAR MARCH AGAINST VISITING U.S. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH
  • Date: 5th June 2004
  • Summary: (EU) ROME, ITALY (JUNE 4, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. SLV PROTESTERS SINGING AND CHANTING; POLICE IN STREETS; SLV PROTESTERS THROWING OBJECTS AT POLICE; SCUFFLES BETWEEN POLICE AND PROTESTS; SLV LINE OF RIOT POLICE WITH SHIELDS AND IN RIOT GEAR (13 SHOTS) 1.19 2. SLV DEMONSTRATORS CARRYING HUGE RAINBOW COLOURED PEACE FLAG; DEMONSTRATORS ON STREET (3 SHOTS) 1.34 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEMONSTRATOR, CASSIE NAJI, SAYING: "I think if we don't keep showing that we didn't believe in this war it is very easy for them to sweep it under the carpet and pretend it was the right thing to do. I think just because it is a year and a half later people can't just accept what has happened." 1.47 4. SLV DEMO; AV SMOKE FROM RED FLARE IN AIR 1.58 5. SLV PEOPLE GATHERING IN CENTRAL STREETS WITH FLAGS; TOP VIEW OF RIOT POLICE WALKING ALONG STREET; TOP VIEW OF THOUSANDS OF DEMONSTRATORS WALKING ALONG STREET WITH BANNER READING: "NO WAR, NO BUSH" (5 SHOTS) 2.21 6. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) LEADER OF COMMUNIST PARTY FAUSTO BERTINOTTI SAYING "Bush, he has the world against him. He has the world of peace against him but the world of peace can be against him too, in a non-violent manner, opposite to him and his politics, a politics of war and destruction." 2.40 7. SLV RIOT POLICE IN PIAZZA VENEZIA 2.47 (W6) ROME, ITALY (JUNE 4, 2004) (REUTERS) 8. PROTESTERS THROWING FIRE CRACKERS AT RIOT POLICE; RIOT POLICE CHASING AFTER GROUPS OF PROTESTERS; SLV RIOT POLICE HITTING A DEMONSTRATOR; SLV DEMONSTRATORS 9. DEMONSTRATOR THROWING FLARE AT RIOT POLICE; DEMONSTRATOR LAUNCHING FIREWORK AT RIOT POLICE; SLV DEMONSTRATORS 3.28 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 20th June 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ROME, ITALY
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVA90XG012WDCC7ZO3PAJE944QYD
  • Story Text: Groups of protesters scuffled with each during an
    anti-war march in Rome called to demonstrate against U.S.

    President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq.

    Groups of protesters scuffled with each other on
    Friday (June 4) during an anti-war march in Rome called to
    demonstrate against U.S. President George W. Bush and the
    war in Iraq, local television pictures showed.

    Masked protesters near the central Piazza Venezia
    square threw bottles at riot police, who did not respond,
    local media reported.

    A small group of demonstrators wearing masks and
    motorcycle helmets and carrying batons then skirmished with
    protesters taking part in the march across the Italian
    capital.

    It was not immediately clear what provoked the clashes
    among demonstrators, who according to organisers numbered
    more than 100,000. Ansa news agency quoted authorities
    estimating the crowd at about 7,000.

    Anti-war campaigners began moving through the streets
    of central Rome and tension was high as the demonstration
    first kicked off - a group of riot police, late taking up
    their position along the route passed through a group of
    protesters. Insults and the odd bottle were hurled at the
    group of police as they quickly pushed there way through.

    "I think if we don't keep showing that we didn't
    believe in this war it is very easy for them to sweep it
    under the carpet and pretend it was the right thing to do.

    I think just because it is a year and a half later people
    can't just accept what has happened," said a British
    demonstrator Cassie Naji who had travelled to Rome for the
    demo.

    Carrying huge rainbow-coloured peace flags the
    demonstrators made their way down the central throughway
    leading from the Colosseum to Piazza Venezia.

    "Bush - he has the world against him. He has the world
    of peace against him but the world of peace can be against
    him too, in a non-violent manner - opposite to him and his
    politics - a politics of war and destruction," Leader of
    the Communist Party, Fausto Bertinotti said.

    A small group of protesters, some of them masked,
    threw stones, bottles and fire crackers at Italian riot
    police in Rome's central Circus Maximus.

    These demonstrators broke away from the main anti-war
    demonstration.

    After several minutes of having objects thrown at
    them, riot police eventually broke up the group of
    protesters.

    As the demonstrations continued, security was
    intensified, with masked police snipers manning the roofs
    surrounding the U.S. ambassador's residence where Bush is
    staying.


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