- Title: ITALY: SECURITY HEIGHTENS IN THE TOWN OF LAKE GARDA AHEAD OF AN EU CONFERENCE
- Date: 4th September 2003
- Summary: (EU) RIVA DEL GARDA, ITALY (SEPTEMBER 4, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV LAKE GARDA 0.04 2. LV HOUSES ON MOUNTAIN 0.10 3. LV POLICE DINGHY PATROLLING THE LAKE 0.17 4. SV ITALIAN AND EUROPEAN UNION FLAG 0.20 5. LV POLICEMAN ON RIVERBANK (2 SHOTS) 0.29 6. LV POLICE BOATS PATROLLING LAKE 0.35 7. LV/SV PEOPLE SITTING ON BANK (2 SHOTS) 0.46 8. LV POLICE HELICOPTER (2 SHOTS) 1.00 9. MCU (Italian) STEFANO MASINI, TOURIST FROM BARI, SAYING: "I don't see why they should hold this kind of summit in such pretty places. There must be other places where they could be organised." 1.10 10. LV OF POLICE ON LAKE 1.17 11. LV PEOPLE SUNBATHING ON LAKE SHORE 1.22 12. MCU (English) FINNISH MAN, KAI SAARIKKO, SAYING: "We heard there's going to be a demonstration on Saturday so we prefer to stay in our hotel on that day." 1.32 13. LV PEOPLE SUNBATHING 1.35 14. LV POLICE BOAT CHECKING FISHING BOAT 1.40 15. LV/CU RIVA DEL GARDA VILLAGE/DUCK SWIMMING (2 SHOTS) 1.46 16. MCU GIANCARLO, LOCAL, SAYING: "I think that on some points the demonstrators are right. The important thing is not to use violence and to use dialogue as a tool of communication." 1.55 17. SLV/SV OF POLICE PATROLLING VILLAGE (3 SHOTS) 2.17 18. LV FLAGS AND SCRIPT READING INFORMAL MEETING OF FOREIGN MINISTERS 2.20 19. LV OF HOUSE OVERLOOKING LAKE 2.24 (EU) BALTERA,10 KMS NORTH OF RIVA DEL GARDA, ITALY (SEPTEMBER 4, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 20. CU RAINBOW-COLOURED FLAGS SAYING PEACE 2.28 21. SLV/SV OF ANTI-GLOBALISATION DEMONSTRATORS GATHERED OUTSIDE THE CONGRESS BUILDING, WHERE THEY ARE HOLDING SEMINARS (2 SHOTS) 2.35 22. CU POSTER READING "STOP WTO" 2.39 23. SLV ORGANISERS WITH STANDS 2.44 24. MCU (Italian) MATTEO GADDI, ANTIGLOBALISATION ACTIVIST FROM MANTOVA, SAYING: "It's enough to use the example of Florence. In Florence, even Orianna Fallaci denied our movement and initiative by saying that a social forum in that city would have meant a disaster for its historical heritage. In reality, we have shown that if the state lowers the level of tension and there is no open confrontation between the police and demonstrators, you don't have clashes." 3.04 25. LAS PEOPLE STANDING IN CONGRESS HALL 3.07 26. SV ANTI-GLOBALISATION ACTIVIST ON RADIO 3.12 27. SV/CU ACTIVISTS WATCHING A VIDEO (2 SHOTS) 3.22 28. MCU (Italian) LUCA CASARINI, HEAD OF ANTI-GLOBALISATION MOVEMENT SAYING: "This is the real problem we have to face - it's democracy. These kinds of summits are a symbol of the state of democracy in our society. Is it possible that a summit like this needs to be guarded by thousands of policemen and the fault is always that of the anti-global activists? Who are these activists? We are just like normal people who try to oppose things that are happening and that they don't like and, at the end, always get suppressed by military forces." 3.51 29. SLV ELDERLY PEOPLE LOOKING AT POLICE PATROLLING LAKE (2 SHOTS) 4.05 30. LV OF LAKE 4.08 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 19th September 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: RIVA DEL GARDA AND BALTERA. ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVA6T7AC72CZFQSRB28P0FOBFB9I
- Story Text: As security heightens in the northern Italian
holiday town of Lake Garda ahead of an EU conference,
locals and tourists are concerned over the threat of
clashes between police and anti-globalisation activists.
A day before European Union foreign ministers are
due to meet on the banks of Italys Lake Garda, heavy
security invaded the quaint holiday town - more used to
hosting tourists rather than riot squads.
EU foreign ministers will attend an informal two-day
meeting beginning on Friday (September 5) where they will
draw the battle lines for a season of negotiation over the
blocs first constitution as well as discuss other issues
such as the Iraq crisis and the Middle East peace process.
Despite the step-up in security, holiday makers
appeared undisturbed by the town's transformation. But, a
number of locals were not happy about the choice of their
small town to host the meeting. "I don't see why
they
should hold this kind of summit
in such pretty places," said Italian tourist, Stefano
Masini, from the southern Italian city of Bari.
"There must be other places where they could be
organised," he said.
"We heard there's going to be a demonstration on
Saturday so we prefer to stay in our hotel on that day,"
said Finnish tourist Kai Saarikko.
"I think that on some points the demonstrators are
right," said local man, Giancarlo.
"The important thing is not to use violence and to use
dialogue as a tool of communication," he added.
Anti-globalisation activists say they are planning a
welcome for the ministers, with 20,000 demonstrators
expected to march through Riva del Garda on Saturday
(September 6) and
smaller protests promised in the buildup to the meeting.
"It's enough to use the example of Florence, said
activist Matteo Gaddi, from Mantova, in the town of
Baltera, some 10 kms from Riva del Garda. Gaddi was
refering to an
anti-war demonstration last November.
"In Florence, even (Italian writer) Orianna Fallaci
denied our movement and initiative by saying that a social
forum in that city would have meant a disaster for its
historical
heritage. In reality, we have shown that if the state
lowers the level of tension and there is no open
confrontation between the police and demonstrators, you
don't have clashes," said Gaddi.
In Baltera, anti-globalisation groups are conducting
seminars and workshops for the duration of the EU
conference.
"This is the real problem we have to face - it's
democracy. These kinds of summits are a symbol of the state
of democracy in our society," emphasised Luca Casarini,
leader of
anti-globalisation movement.
"Is it possible that a summit like this needs to be
guarded by thousands of policemen and the fault is always
that of the anti-global activists? Who are these activists?
We are just like
normal people who try to oppose things that are happening
and that they don't like and, at the end, always get
suppressed by military forces," said Casarini.
Anti-globalisation groups normally shun informal EU
gatherings, but the Italian meeting comes just days before
the start of world trade talks in Cancun, Mexico, and
activists are
anxious to sieze the initiative in the run-up to that event.
rom/jrc
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