Tens of thousands march against Berlusconi

[bloomington-lib]

Source: AFP

ROME — Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of Rome against Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi Saturday after an Internet call for a "No Berlusconi Day."

Most of them wore scarves, T-shirts or sweaters in various shades of violet after the group of bloggers who organised the protest chose it as the only colour not used by political parties.

The organisers claimed to have attracted 350,000 supporters from a wide spectrum of society, backed by mainly left-wing opposition parties.

Banners carried by the marchers calling on Berlusconi to quit referred to the prime minister's various legal problems, including suspicions of corruption and tax fraud.

"We want Berlusconi to resign because we do not feel that he represents us," one of the organisers, Emmanuele de Pascale, 28, told AFP.

Participants ranged from film director Nanni Moretti, who condemned Berlusconi's domination of Italian television, to ecologists opposed to a planned bridge across the Straits of Messina and immigrant defence groups.

The demonstration came a day after a Mafia hitman testified at a trial in Turin that his boss alleged Berlusconi had aided organised crime.

Berlusconi has vehemently denied ties to the Mafia.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i3HXmQmbaEmf5pznQJ5j4PBWaJ7Q

[cyclezealot]

1. Italians getting what they deserve...

Everyone knew he was a crook.. From a crooked media empire.. He changed Italian law to exempt the Prime Minister from prosecution while PM last time around..
. He was a Bush II crony. Bush stayed at his Sardinian dacha a couple times...
They ousted the left because the Socialist PM was too much of a technocrat. When competency fails to get results when the problem is failing Capitalism they elect a crooked media mole..
. I feel like crying crocodile tears.

[kenny blankenship]

2. He was also a member of P2, the neofascist criminal network in Italy and South America

This is not "CT" since his entrance into Propaganda Due was factually established in a trial - he was in fact convicted in 1990 of perjury for lying about his membership in the outlawed P2 organization. His entrance documentation was produced in court. Photocopy of Berlusconi's paid up membership in P2:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_Due
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvio_Berlusconi

A major catalyst for the fall of the Prodi center-left coalition government was the epic garbage collection strike which, along with trucking strikes against food delivery, paralyzed central Italy and prompted emergency general elections.

The strikes were coordinated between the rightist councils of the Campania and the reigning organized crime ring, La Camorra, which controls trucking including garbage collection in that part of Italy and others. The victor was the political rightwing generally, and Silvio Berlusconi in particular, who as the monopolist of Italian media is now protected from having his media empire broken up by Silvio Berlusconi, the new Prime Minister.

I don't like to make generalizations that will appear derived from old prejudices, but I must say that from a distance it appears that there is no difference in Italy between legitimate government, corporations, and organized crime. As the distinction between corporations and the US government looks more and more difficult to discern, this is an ill omen to citizens of the United States as well.

[cyclezealot]

3. Since Berlusconi owns most of the Italian media

Guess we can give the Italian people some slack. But, not much.. He's such a notorious crook, his reputation should stink no matter what.?

[cyclezealot]

6. Italy being so corrupt.

Don't I recall the left's Italian Senate coalition fragmented , when a leftist member of the senate was bribed by the right. Telling him , if he no longer supports the Prodi government , the new rightist government would not prosecute .

[saorsa]

7. If we don't know history the world is a mystery...

Thanks so much for the background, so much of the history of the last 50 years of neo-fascism / corporatism and it's effect on democratic aims is still completely unknown to most people in this country. Meanwhile it seeps into every nook and cranny that is carved out for it by corruption, ignorance & apathy and the day to day work of the far right.

[malaise]

9. +1

Most of Bushco's closest friends and allies are criminals.

[LeftishBrit]

5. If they can get him out, better late than never.

[LeftishBrit]

4. Very glad to hear this.

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. Autonomia!

[ooglymoogly]

10. Hip, hip hooray for the italians for standing up to tyrants.

Serendipitously, they, the Romans, have had 2500 years to learn this vital lesson; That lesson is just when a tyrant becomes a tyrant, whilst we on the other hand; Bumpkins that we are, have only had one 10th of that, rendering us mere, pretentious and sometimes obnoxious fools.

Lessons to be learned here; Anyone, anyone.....Bueler,...Bueler....

[yava]

11. He is not a Tyrant, he is a Mafioso

As long as you don't get in they way of his corrupt dealings, you are free to do what you like.

[ooglymoogly]

13. A distinction without a difference. nt

[Vidar]

12. Protesting is good, but revolting would be better.