Anti-vax protesters in Rome target Italian Prime Minister’s office

Anti-vax protesters in Rome target Italian Prime Minister's office

Demonstrators clash with police officers during a protest against the government's introduction of the "Green Pass" near Chigi Palace in Rome, Italy. image: Twitter

Anti-vax protesters in Rome targeted the Italian Prime Minister’s office and the CGIL trade union headquarters.

Italian police used water cannon and tear gas on Saturday, October 9, to push back hundreds of people, including neo-fascist activists, that were demonstrating in Rome against a government drive to make the COVID-19 “Green Pass” mandatory for all workers.

One group of protesters tried to break through police lines to reach Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s city centre office in the capital, at the same time, another group tried to smash their way into the headquarters of Italy’s main CGIL trade union.

The protests come days before Italy becomes the first country in Europe to make all workers carry the Green Pass in an effort to accelerate vaccinations and stamp out coronavirus infections. The pass, a digital or paper certificate showing someone has received at least one vaccine dose, has tested negative or recently recovered from the virus, was originally conceived as a way of easing travel among European Union states.

Draghi denounced Saturday’s violence and said his broad unity government remained committed to completing its vaccination campaign, according to a report from Reuters.

“The right to demonstrate to support one’s ideas can never degenerate into acts of aggression and intimidation,” he said in a statement issued by his office.

Opponents of the Green Pass say it tramples on freedoms and is a back-door means of forcing people to vaccinate. Their cause has been backed by far-right neo-fascist groups who local politicians accused of orchestrating Saturday’s violence.

Local media reported that around 10,000 people took to the streets of the Italian capital, with many chanting “freedom, freedom” as some looked to break past police in riot gear deployed to guard access to Draghi’s office.

CGIL, which has accepted the Green Pass system for workers, condemned the attack on its offices.

“The assault on CGIL’s national headquarters is an act of fascist thuggery, an attack on democracy and on the world of work. No-one should think that they can return our country to its fascist past,” said its leader Maurizio Landini in a statement.

Under the pass system, any worker who fails to present a valid health certificate from Oct. 15 will be suspended with no pay, but they cannot be sacked.

Some 80% of all Italians over the age of 12 are now fully vaccinated and the vast majority of people seem to back the inoculation drive and the use of the Green Pass.


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Ron Howells

Ron actually started his working career as an Ophthalmic Technician- things changed when, during a band rehearsal, his amplifier blew up and he couldn’t get it fixed so he took a course at Birmingham University and ended up doing a degree course. He built up a chain of electronics stores and sold them as a franchise over 35 years ago. After five years touring the world Ron decided to move to Spain with his wife and son, a place they had visited over the years, and only bought the villa they live in because it has a guitar-shaped swimming pool!. Playing the guitar since the age of 7, he can often be seen, (and heard!) at beach bars and clubs along the length of the coast. He has always been interested in the news and constantly thrives to present his articles in an interesting and engaging way.

Comments


    • CCW60

      10 October 2021 • 14:57

      Euro News should correct the headline on this and similar stories to say PRO CHOICE vaxers protest. Just because someone is against mandates doesn’t mean they are also anti-vax. In a free society that is not communist every individual has the right to CHOOSE what is right for them. I may not agree with a person’s choice but I would fight for their right to choose! We should ALL be fighting for choice. If government can mandate what you must inject into your body what else will they decide is best for you? Forced sterilization? According to vigiaccess.org website which is part of the WHO, there have been close to 2.5 MILLION adverse effects from these COVID jabs. According to the VAERS website there have been over 15 thousand deaths directly related to the jab. No wonder people are hesitant and fighting for their right to CHOOSE!

    • CCW60

      10 October 2021 • 14:57

      Euro News should correct the headline on this and similar stories to say PRO CHOICE vaxers protest. Just because someone is against mandates doesn’t mean they are also anti-vax. In a free society that is not communist every individual has the right to CHOOSE what is right for them. I may not agree with a person’s choice but I would fight for their right to choose! We should ALL be fighting for choice. If government can mandate what you must inject into your body what else will they decide is best for you? Forced sterilization? According to vigiaccess.org website which is part of the WHO, there have been close to 2.5 MILLION adverse effects from these COVID jabs. According to the VAERS website there have been over 15 thousand deaths directly related to the jab. No wonder people are hesitant and fighting for their right to CHOOSE!

    Comments are closed.