ROME - A large community of Italians in Vicenza has been outraged that the United States continues to expand its military operation in the north-eastern city.

 

While conflicts are escalating in the Middle East and Africa, the United States has eyed Italy as a strategic outpost to monitor the world. Since the end of the cold war, the US government has spent over $2 billion on the construction of military bases in Italy, while maintaining that there are no actual US bases in the country, but Italian bases at which they are guests, TomDispatch reports. Though US forces are present at bases all over the boot-shaped peninsula, the group of protesters opposed to the Dal Molin base in Vicenza has attracted the most attention.

 

In 2006, the United States announced that it would expand its operations in Vicenza, prompting the local community to unite in protest. The opposition established an organization, the Presidio Permanente No Dal Molin, which proclaims that it does not want the US to build bases in its city, nor does it believe Italy should be involved in US military interventions. "This land is our land," the group's website reads. 

 

As the military has continued to expand its operations, the opposition has generated a lot of support. Most recently, on Sept. 4th of this year, members of the Presidio Permanente No Dal Molin gathered and cut down part of a fence outside of the military base so that they might hang flags and a protest banner. The group had planned a march for Sept. 7th, but the Italian police imposed a ban on the protest, an action the group states was influenced by US military in response to the Sept. 4th incident. 

 

The act outraged the public. Protesters felt that the ban exhibited an excessive and unnecessary force by the US that infringed on their constitutional right to protest. The oppositionists ignored the police order and the march went on. Over 3,000 protesters joined together and marched on the US base. 

 

Several days later, the Bishop of Vicenza, Monsignor Beniamino Pizziol spoke out against the US military's base, stating that he is "opposed to the construction of new military bases." He elaborated that "the people who work there are not our enemies" but that it is "wrong" to build new military bases.

 

The force of opposition remains strong in Vicenza and continues to be a powerful voice against US intervention. The group has planned a picnic for Oct. 6th, where they will gather to present and discuss new projects to find an "alternative to war."