Turin marches during Italy's general strike: police use water cannon outside the Prefecture, two people injured
Tens of thousands of people marched in Turin on Friday during the 24-hour general strike called by the USB base union, over the cost of living, military spending and Gaza. ANSA reported that police made short charges and used a water cannon on a student and autonomist group outside the Prefecture in Piazza Castello, after eggs filled with red paint and bottles were thrown. Corriere Torino said two people were taken to hospital and five to police headquarters. A second march that evening was diverted towards the centre.
What happened: The Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) held a 24-hour general strike across Italy on Friday 30 October, with marches in dozens of cities, Reuters reported. In Turin the marchers called for higher wages and action on the cost of living, housing and education, and opposed rearmament and war, with Palestinian flags among those carried, La Stampa reported.
Numbers: Corriere Torino reported more than 20,000 people in two marches, and La Stampa put attendance at about 30,000. A USB speaker said 100,000. No official figure was found.
Piazza Castello: Around mid-morning a group of students, members of the Askatasuna social centre and Cobas union members left the route agreed with police, saying they would not be “confined to the outskirts”, and went to Piazza Castello. ANSA reported that when they reached the police, Carabinieri and Guardia di Finanza line protecting the Prefecture, police made two short dispersal charges and used a water cannon, at around 1pm GMT. ANSA said protesters threw eggs filled with red paint and some bottles. Calm returned within minutes, ANSA said.
Injuries and detentions: Corriere Torino reported that a man of about 50 with a head injury and a young woman with a head injury were taken to hospital. Repubblica said she was hit by a baton. ANSA first reported two people held; Corriere Torino later said five were taken to police headquarters. No official police statement had been found.
Other marches: The USB march followed the agreed route and gathered for about 90 minutes at the Turin–Milan motorway entrance, where Guardia di Finanza officers were deployed. ANSA said it ended peacefully. At about 6:45pm GMT an evening march by the occupiers of the Campus Einaudi and Torino per Gaza turned towards the centre. Repubblica reported bottles thrown at a Carabinieri vehicle near Via Po, and La Stampa reported charges and tear gas near Via Roma. The organisers called another demonstration for 7 November.
Elsewhere: Reuters said protests elsewhere in Italy were largely peaceful, with rubbish bins set alight in Rome. USB told AFP 1 to 1.5 million people took part nationwide; AFP said authorities published no official numbers.
As of 8:20pm GMT on Friday 30 October.
Sources
- Sciopero a Torino, cariche in piazza Castello · ANSA
- Police charge protestors in Turin, use water cannons · ANSA English
- Sciopero a Torino, conclusa manifestazione si riapre accesso tangenziale · ANSA
- Sciopero a Torino, il corteo sfida la polizia e tenta di entrare in centro · ANSA
- Torino, la voce della protesta ha invaso la città. «Uno sciopero spettacolare, abbiamo bloccato l'Italia da Nord a Sud» · Corriere Torino
- Manifestazione a Torino oggi 30 ottobre: la diretta · La Stampa
- Il momento della carica sotto la Prefettura, due feriti e due fermati · la Repubblica
- Torino, seconda protesta del giorno: di nuovo in migliaia al corteo, bottiglie contro la polizia · la Repubblica
- Mass protests sweep Italy during nationwide strike · Reuters (copy on Internazionale)
- Thousands of students, workers hold peaceful protests in Italy · AFP
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