Italian students protest education cuts

[Hannah Bell]

Tens of thousands of students marched in Italian cities Wednesday to protest education cuts implemented by Silvio Berlusconi’s government. The protests came the same day as further mass demonstrations of students in Britain against budget cutting.

In Italy, students mobilized in more than 50 cities and occupied 44 out of the 66 public universities, picketing, suspending classes and climbing on top of faculty buildings. Some of the occupations continued through the night.

The largest demonstrations took place in Rome. A group of students protested in front of the Deputies’ Chamber, while another attempted to break into the Senate, although they were prevented from doing so by riot police:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrX-Eusqow8

Students shouted slogans like “Ridateci il nostro futuro!” (Give our future back!), “No ai tagli!” (No cuts!), “Dimissioni!” (Resignations!) and “I veri terroristi siete voi!” (You are the real terrorists!).

Stones and eggs were thrown against the state buildings. Light injuries were reported by a dozen students, a police official and eight Carabinieri (military police). Two students were arrested, and complaints were filed against 27 demonstrators.

The Unione degli Universitari (a federation of syndicalist students groups) has stated that it has “no intention to stop. We have every intention to intensify the struggle if this government continues to ignore the demands coming from the entire academic world.”

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/nov2010/ital-n25.shtml