5 000 in peaceful G8 protest

2009-07-10 19:00

L'Aquila - Around 5 000 anti-globalisation protesters and local residents marched on Friday on the G8 summit in the quake-hit Italian town of L'Aquila.

Marchers set off from one of dozens of tented camps near the mountain town set up to house victims of the devastating April 6 earthquake, watched by a large police force.

The protest was originally organised by local citizens' groups to draw attention to the slow progress of reconstruction three months after the quake, which killed 299 people and left some 70 000 homeless.

However, anti-globalisation groups comprised the vast majority of the marchers, AFP photographers said, after insisting in the run-up to the summit on taking part in the peaceful protest.

'Demonstrators must behave'

"We have advised the demonstrators to behave themselves. The success of the protest will depend on the peacefulness or otherwise of the march," said Stefano Frezza, leader of a local citizens' movement.

Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni warned on the eve of the summit that police would not tolerate any repeat of the violence that marred Italy's last G8 summit, in 2001. Hundreds of people were arrested during riots in the northwestern port of Genoa, and one rioter was shot dead by police.

Tempers were strained as the sun beat down on the marchers along the seven-kilometre route and demonstrators shouted slogans at police.

However, the march was kept well away from the "red zone" established around the summit venue by some 15 000 police and it passed without incident.

Crisis

"We are all residents of L'Aquila," chanted demonstrators, who waved red flags of left-wing unions and political groups. Many also waved the rainbow banner of peace demonstrators.

"We came from Rome out of solidarity for the residents of L'Aquila. The reconstruction hasn't really started yet and for the last three months the government has been getting ready for the G8, not helping victims of the quake," said Enrico Bernocchi, a union activist.

"When the G8 talks about a crisis, it's about supporting the same banks who provoked the crisis, and it never does anything to help workers who bear the full brunt," said protester Paolo Leonardi.

Dozens of demonstrators were arrested in a protest in Rome on the eve of the summit.
 

- AFP