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Occupy protests spread around the world; 70 injured in Rome
(CNN) — Thousands of people across the world railed against corporate power, grinding poverty and government cuts Saturday as the Occupy Wall Street movement spread to the streets of Europe, Asia and Australia — and took a particularly violent turn in Rome.
EUROPEAN PROTESTS
Europeans turned out amid debt troubles and austerity plans in Greece, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Portugal and Germany.
United for Global Change — the central site for the movement organizing worldwide protests — said 951 cities in 82 countries were to take part in the demonstrations after online organizers called for a worldwide rally.
In London, protester Peter Vaughn, reflecting the mood of many in the crowd there, said people criticized financial institutions that have “gambled away our money.”
“We’re giving people a real voice against a government that just ignored us,” he said.
One protester in Belleville, France, referring to the country’s leaders, said government isn’t listening to the people and dialogue with them is impossible.
More than 10,000 demonstrators of all ages gathered peacefully in Madrid’s spacious Plaza de Cibeles on Saturday and than walked uphill to Puerta del Sol. The “May 15 Movement” started five months ago to the day over austerity measures and high unemployment. Some demonstrators said they felt Spain’s protest had gone global and that the world had joined the movement started in their country. The newspaper El Pais said tens of thousands of protesters turned out in Barcelona.
Around the world, protesters marched, listened to speeches, and displayed banners reading anti-corporate slogans, including the now ubiquitous “we are the 99%,” “Banks are cancer” and tax the rich 1%.”
VIOLENCE IN ROME NEAR COLOSSEUM
Firefighters battled a blaze at an Interior Ministry building near Porta San Giovanni in Rome, the main gathering site of the Italian protesters taking part in the Occupy movement Saturday, said eyewitnesses who reported seeing a Molotov cocktail thrown near the building.
A spokesman for Mayor Gianni Alemanno, who condemned the violence, confirmed 70 people were injured, 40 of them police officers. No arrest numbers were available late Saturday.
Police said hundreds of anarchists in Rome moved in where peaceful demonstrators had gathered as part of the global Occupy movement. The anarchists — some wearing ski masks and belonging to a group termed “Black Bloc” — torched cars, broke windows and clashed with police.
THOUSANDS JOIN GLOBAL PROTEST IN THE NETHERLANDS
(RNW) – Protesters in Amsterdam clapped and whistled for 15 minutes and chanted slogans including “Make noise, let the whole world know.” John Lennon’s “Imagine” was played at the end of the event.
The peaceful gathering was attended by both young and old people. Some have pitched tents to occupy the square in front of the stock exchange overnight.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
