Rome braces for League protest

Anti-Salvini protestors

ROME -A series of planned political demonstrations began Friday with the occupation of the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo by activists protesting a Northern League rally due to be held Saturday.

 Most of the no-globals group was halted by officials at the Spagna metro station yet a number did manage to reach the church, where they unrolled banners reading ‘Never with Salvini, never with Renzi, let’s push them out’ (Italian: ‘Mai con Salvini, mai con Renzi, respingiamoli’) before barricading themselves inside. Following the arrival of the police, protestors were dragged outside the building, although a number of them chose to continue their protest on the steps outside.

Protests have been organised by a number of different parties and will take place in a number of locations across the Eternal City. Lega Nord supporters themselves will gather in Piazza del Carroccio, wearing the slogan ‘Go home Renzi’ (‘Renzi a casa’). 

 Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s Jobs Act was recently criticised by League leader Matteo Salvini, who likened it to a mountain giving birth to a mouse. Renzi himself, however, was positive about the Act and on Twitter made use of the hashtag #lavoltabuona, the sense of which roughly translates as ‘this is it’ or ‘good times’.

However, those involved with CasaPound, a social centre of fascist inspiration, will stage a sit-in entitled ‘Italians first’ (‘Prima gli Italiani’) in the Esquilino neighbourhood, the heart of the city’s ethnic community. Antifascist movements are expected to march from the same place later in the day.

An extra 3,000 police officers are to be on duty throughout the protests as Rome's prefect evidently refuses to take any chances following the recent trouble caused by Dutch football fans.

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