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TechnoratiItalians Protest US Base Expansion, G8
VICENZA, Italy - Anti-G8 demonstrators clashed briefly with Italian police on Saturday in the first big protest ahead of next week's summit of the world's richest nations.
![[Riot police clash with protesters demonstrating against a military base used by U.S. paratroops, in the northern Italian city of Vicenza July 4, 2009. Thousand of Italians gathered under heavy police guard on Saturday to protest against the expansion of a U.S. military base that has aroused strong opposition.
REUTERS/Tony Gentile]](http://www.commondreams.org/files/article_images/yeswecan_0.jpg "yeswecan.jpg")
Police in riot gear fired teargas at protesters to prevent them from crossing a bridge and moving closer to a controversial U.S. military base in the northeastern city of Vicenza.
A group of demonstrators, some of them wearing motorcycle helmets and with their faces covered, threw bottles, rocks and lit firecrackers they were pushed back by security forces.
Protesters were later allowed to continue their march, which broke up peacefully in the early evening. There were no reports of injuries.
Several thousand people attended the demonstration, launched against expansion plans that would make the U.S. base one of the biggest in Europe, and more generally against the July 8-10 G8 summit which Italy chairs.
"We are sick of the powerful governing without consulting the people," said Martina Vultaggio, 29, one of the protest organizers.
The leaders of the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Canada and Russia, together with those of major emerging economies, will hold talks in the central city of L'Aquila focusing on the state of the world economy, financial regulation, climate change, trade and development.
Anti-capitalist protesters have planned a series of demonstrations at different sites, starting with the one in Vicenza -- where locals oppose the doubling of the size of the U.S. base, home to 3,000 soldiers of the 173 Airborne Brigade.
The Italian government has approved construction of a new 6,000 square meter (64,600 sq ft) base on the site of the old Molin airport on the city's outskirts. But Vicenza residents have rejected the base expansion in a referendum.
Opponents contend the base poses a threat to ground water, is dangerous for residents and for Vicenza's historic center, a treasure of Renaissance architecture.
The protesters had vowed to march about 3.5 km (2 miles) to the construction site, which was sealed off by local authorities, and plant flags with anti-base slogans. Around 1,000 police were deployed on Saturday along the route.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is keen to avoid a repeat of the violence that marred a 2001 G8 summit hosted by Italy in Genoa, when a protester was killed and scores of others were beaten up by police.
Summit organizers have said the choice of L'Aquila, which was badly damaged by an earthquake in April that killed nearly 300 people and left 60,000 homeless, should deter violent protests out of respect for the plight of local people.
Demonstrators plan to stage a candle-lit night march in the city on July 6 -- three months after the quake struck.
13 Comments so far
Show Allthere will be no peace on this planet until g8 imf and every
other elitest and repressive organization has been dismantled
and the people of this planet govern it! illuminati have
to go as well since they are the real problem!
We certainly should close all our military bases in Italy. And withdraw all our trops stationed there for whatever purpose.
"Vicenza has always been hospitable towards the Americans, but hospitality doesn’t translate to stupidity or lack of common sense” - that's from Achille Variati, mayor of Vicenza, opposing the expansion of the base.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/40101
I hope the protesters stick to their guns - because they've been fighting against the expansion for at least three years now.
http://globalization.meetup.com/boards/thread/2650044
BTW, the expansion of the base in Italy was estimated to cost 500-million dollars. And a billion dollars for a new embassy and consulates in Pakistan. That's some change!
"Summit organizers have said the choice of L'Aquila, which was badly damaged by an earthquake in April that killed nearly 300 people and left 60,000 homeless, should deter violent protests out of respect for the plight of local people."
The G8 represents elites interests that are the root cause of nearly all oppression and destruction on the planet. It is diabolical for the organizers to politically expoit earthquake victims and hypocritical for anyone who claims to care about people to accept such an argument.
Gee, I thought with Obama as pres. and the D control of Congress we would be dismantling the Empire and spending less on military aggression and wars. It seems the neocons of the Democratic party are now in charge. Funny, I can't tell them apart most of the time.
I salute all the Italians who resist these military bases. At least in Italy there is an active Left, and they have a small but active modern communist party.
I thought that His Excellency Benito Mussolini had been defeated already. Did I miss something?
My entire support goes to the opponents of the base expansion!
It's just the roman empire catching it's tail in an ourobouros.
Rome never fell, it just reinvented, and renamed itself, Hail cesar.
There is no time, here in the "black iron prison"
Why is the United States expanding a base in a country that is our ally to begin with? The USA has more than 700 military bases around the world. When did foreigners (the people not the govt) and for that much Americans (the people not the govt) vote to see if the people wanted foreign military bases in their country to begin with??? In my opinion, any country should be BARRED from building their country's military bases off their homeland soil. No other country should WANT a foreign govt. to put up a military base on their soil. It is utterly insane!!! Our elected officals are POWER MONGERS and could care less about the working class and poor citizens of their own country and the world.
I heartily oppose the building of foreign bases in foreign lands--we are, after all, not colonialists anymore, I think. And if America MUST have a base in every country in the world, then the rest of the world ought to have a base here in the United States. Bring it on! Italy, China, Britain, the Americas, let's build up the garrison! As long as we're all afraid of each other, why not let's swap soldiers and protect each other at the same...time...wait a minute...
Anyway!
Whaddaya say? Lets get together. Yeah yeah yeah!
- Insurgent
Silvio Berlusconi certainly has a lot of gumption by returning to the place where he had his Barbara Bush Houston Astrodome moment. It will be no surprise if he gets angry if during a press conference, a reporter asks him about it. Berlusconi is the reincarnation of Narcissus.
G8..... Do you realize there are more than 8 countries in this world? That your bases and NAFTAs and FTAAs and CAFTAs and IMFs and WTOs and SOAs (whether renamed WHINSEC or not) are seen for what they are despite your closed-door meetings and hundreds of deployed police at base-construction sites? Might it not be a good idea to invite a protestor or two IN to your 'summit'? Tear gas and weapons of violence will not win you allies.
"We are sick of the powerful governing without consulting the people," said Martina Vultaggio, 29, one of the protest organizers.
G8.... It is no secret what you are up to.... why not BE transparent rather than hide away from the people your decisions impact? Why not invite their input? You claim to value 'freedom' and 'democracy'..... What are you afraid of? Exposure? Hasn't dominance through violence and stealth and betrayal been tried and proven disastrous long enough? Can you still be so rapt and in awe of the almighty $$$$$$$???????
and what does that MEAN:
Summit organizers have said the choice of L'Aquila, which was badly damaged by an earthquake in April that killed nearly 300 people and left 60,000 homeless, should deter violent protests out of respect for the plight of local people.
that such a choice 'should deter violent protests out of respect...'?????
WHO is it showing up with the teargas, guns, shields, etc?????
cowards.