Rome housing protesters set up camp in city centre

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Hundreds of people said Sunday they would stay camped out in central Rome in an unsanctioned protest to call for an end to austerity and evictions and for more affordable housing.

A delegation of the protesters camped on Porta Pia square said on Sunday that they would meet Transport and Infrastructure Minister Maurizio Lupi on Tuesday to discuss their demands.

"We will keep the tents until we meet with Lupi on Tuesday, when we will have another demonstration to make our voice heard," said Luca Fagiano, a representative of the protest organisers.

"Let's Take Back the City" read a banner at the camp, which is blocking a major throughway in the Italian capital. Another banner said: "Stop to evictions, clear-outs and repossessions".

More at: http://www.alternet.org/progressive-wire/rome-housing-protesters-set-camp-city-centre

Anti-austerity protesters in Rome have clashed with police during a march against cuts to welfare programmes. Thousands of riot police were dispatched to maintain order as tens of thousands of protesters marched through Italy's capital. There were moments of tension when demonstrators passed near the headquarters of an extreme-right group, but police intervened when a few bottles were thrown. Later, demonstrators threw eggs, firecrackers and smoke bombs outside the Finance Ministry. Police reacted by dispersing the protesters. There were no reports of injuries.

Hundreds of anti-austerity protesters marched to Porta Pia, outside Italy's Ministry of Economy building in Rome, Sunday, where they pitched tents as they set about occupying the space. Protesters chanted "siege" while under the gaze of the police, before throwing a party near the new campsite. Violence had exploded throughout Rome Saturday as thousands of demonstrators, some clad entirely in black, clashed with riot police on the second day of nation-wide strikes.