| Saturday, 9 November, 2002, 15:23 GMT
Huge anti-war protest in Florence
There is a carnival atmosphere among demonstrators Hundreds of thousands of protesters from across Europe have joined a rally in the Italian city of Florence to voice their opposition to any war with Iraq.
The march, which had been due to start at 1400 (1300 GMT), started early because the massive number of people who had gathered to participate.
The protest is the climax of the first meeting of the European Social Forum, which has brought together anti-globalisation campaigners from across the continent for five days of debates, conferences and concerts. The event has been largely peaceful so far but the Italian authorities, fearing a repeat of the violence at last year's G8 summit in Genoa, have deployed thousands of police on the streets of the historic city. Jovial scenes Led by a banner that read "No war" the protesters, many carrying placards or coloured flags, processed through the city to the sounds of whistles and music.
Correspondents say there is a carnival atmosphere, with the crowd being entertained by clowns and jugglers and some participants eating or rollerblading along the route. "The atmosphere here is wonderful. Absolutely perfect. It shows that a new young left is emerging," said Stavos Valsamis, a 27-year-old Greek activist from Athens. "I really just wanted to be a part of this," said 16-year-old Justine Trillaud, who had travelled from Paris by bus with a group of about 20 others. Resolution retaliation But the message behind the rally is a serious one: "Take your war and go to hell," one banner read. "Another Europe is possible. No to War," said another.
"We want to demonstrate that a different world is possible," said Noemi Cucchi, who travelled from the Italian port of Ancona with her sister. Participants in the forum on Friday expressed anger at the United Nations Security Council resolution on weapons inspections. "It's all because America wants to get control of Iraq's oil," was a typical comment. And correspondents say the tough new resolution appears to have energised the demonstrators, who have turned out in far greater numbers than predicted. Security measures Although police are trying to keep a low profile and have not resorted to closing the city centre, as happened in Genoa, about 6,000 have been drafted in to protect the city's art treasures and businesses. The route of the march runs from the north of the city, along the River Arno, to a football stadium, where a concert will take place. It does not pass through the city centre, but concerns about possible violence have prompted many businesses to close for the weekend, and statues and works of art have been cordoned off. The BBC's Frances Kennedy says potential targets have been put under surveillance and McDonalds has covered up its golden arches. The air space above the city has also been closed to private aircraft. Working together The authorities and demonstrators both appear keen to avoid the kind of trouble that marred the G8 summit, where police shot one protester dead amid scenes of mayhem on the streets. The Italian police have worked closely with representatives of other European police forces to weed out members of the Black Block - hardliners responsible for past violence. The Schengen Treaty - which normally allows travel within 15-European Union nations without border controls - has also been suspended temporarily. And the forum organisers have their own security service to ensure that troublemakers do not infiltrate the march for peace. |
See also:
08 Nov 02 | Middle East
07 Nov 02 | Europe
07 Nov 02 | Europe
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01 Feb 02 | Americas
27 Jul 01 | Europe
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