Search This Blog

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Global protest against corporate greed turn violent, police fire

Global protest against corporate greed turn violent, Police fire tear gas, water cannons in Rome
 
 
ROME -- Italian riot police fired tear gas and water cannons in Rome on Saturday as violent protesters hijacked a peaceful demonstration against corporate greed, smashing shop and bank windows, torching cars as violence broke and hurling bottles.
Elsewhere, Tens of thousands nicknamed "the indignant" marched without incident in cities across Europe, as the "Occupy Wall Street" in New York, began in Canada and spread to cities across the U.S. moved Saturday to Asia and Europe, linked protests linked up with long-running demonstrations against European governments' cost-cutting and failed financial policies in Europe austerity measures. The protest in the Italian capital, which left dozens injured, Part of worldwide protests against corporate greed and austerity measures.
Black smoke billowed into the air in downtown Rome as a small group of violent protesters broke away from the main demonstration Saturday.
 
A protestor hurls a canister towards police next to a burning car during clashes in Rome, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011. Protesters in Rome smashed shop windows and torched cars as violence broke out during a demonstration in the Italian capital, part of worldwide protests against corporate greed and austerity measures, entitled Occupy Wall Street. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Police force as some 100,000 protesters were expected a day after Premier Silvio Berlusconi survived a confidence vote in Parliament. Italy is rapidly becoming a focus of concern in Europe's debt crisis.
Clad in black with their faces covered, protesters threw rocks, bottles and incendiary devices at banks and Rome police in riot gear. With clubs and hammers, they destroyed bank ATMs, on fire and assaulted at least two news crews from Sky Italia. the TV reported. Others burned Italian and EU flags.
“People of Europe: Rise Up!” read one banner in Rome. Some activists turned against the violent group, trying to stop them and shouting “Enough!” and “Shame!”
Protesters also set fire to a building, causing the roof to collapse, reports said. The Defense Ministry denied reports it was one of its offices.
In Paris, marchers shook their fists and shouted as they passed the city’s historic stock exchange, before congregating by the hundreds outside the ornate City Hall.
“Stand up Paris! Rise Up!” protesters shouted. “Sharing will save the world!”
Several hundreds more marched in the German cities of Berlin, Cologne and Munich and the Austrian capital of Vienna, while protesters in Zurich, Switzerland’s financial hub, carried banners reading “We won’t bail you out yet again” and “We are the 99 percent.”
In New York, hundreds marched on a Chase bank to protest the role banks played in the financial crisis, and demonstrations culminated in an “Occupation Party” in Times Square.
Several hundreds more marched in the German cities of Berlin, Cologne and Munich and the Austrian capital of Vienna, while protesters in Zurich, Switzerland’s financial hub, carried banners reading “We won’t bail you out yet again” and “We are the 99 percent.”
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange spoke to 500 demonstrators outside St. Paul's cathedral in London
Turnout was light in Asia, where the global economy is booming.
In Sydney, around 300 people gathered Saturday, cheering a speaker who shouted, "We're sick of corporate greed! Big banks, big corporate power standing over us and taking away our rights!"
No to nuclear power!" marchers chanted as they held up banners.
"More people agree with these protests than actually take part," said Professor Mary Bossis of the University of Piraeus."There is anger, there is rage ... but what it takes to overturn the current situation is missing," she said.

No comments:

Post a Comment