Gelmini Law voted in, Italy, student revolt spreads

from various sources, 30 October 2008:

An hour ago the Gelmini decree was voted by the Senate into law. Immediately there was a big reaction from students across Italy. In Rome they also had to confront fascist student organizations. In Milano, an unauthorized demo of 2000 highschool students traversed the city center where and was charged at several points by riot cops. This is gonna be a hot day. Tomorrow (Thurrsday 30th October 2008) there is a general strike in the public education sector.

Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Rome - Siege in the Senate!
Milan - The City Blockaded!

ROME: Seven marches departed from various points of the city and to reach The Senate. The parade of the Sapienza University party was met with a confrontation in Piazza Navona by the neo-fascist students.

Pics / Video here and here

In the afternoon students occupied the faculty of Communication Sciences and Sociology. The Senate was forced to suspend the sitting for the Gelmini twice as thousands of students besieged the Senate calling loudly for the withdrawal of the decree.

In Rome, this week, was the first organized effort by neofascisti groups to infiltrate into the series of student mobilization. The first episode, emphasized by the mainstream media was on Monday when some neofascisti linked to Casa Pound tried to takeover the head of the parade of school students from the fourth Municipality.

Today, while the students were converging on Piazza Navona, a group of students tried to take a position in front of the barriers around the entrance of the Senate. Student protested the group which responded by attacking some protesters with sticks and belts. On arrival of the University movement into the Piazza, there was a very hard fight with 'Block' students, who was chased them away from the square. Police and carabinieri also charged the crowds. The news agencies speak of 30 arrests among the groups of the extreme right. At 14:30 there was a press conference at Sapienza on the events in Piazza Navona.

In Milan today, school and university students were blocking the city. Several parades were spontaneous and uncontrollable going towards the Prefecture. From there the students split into two parades: the university students have occupied the railway station in Milane. In Piazza San Babila, the police tried to stop students with batons, but the march, determined was not stopped.

The news of what happened in Rome reached the marches in Milan, which are strongly shouting slogans against racism. The students reiterated that the University movement is free from racism" and is "nazi free zone". In solidarity with Rome, against fascist infilitrations and provocations, the Milan movement announces that "the great march of 30 October and 2nd November (Gelmini Milan Day) will be dedicated to the memory of Abba."

Photos from Milan today, here and here.

++++

Much antagonism is happening between both left and right wing students during the new mass wave of occupations and demonstrations in Italy. The far-right "Blocco Studentesco" (linked to Fiamma Tricolore/Forza Nuova) have been attacking left-wing students. This culminated in an attack by the far-right during a demonstration at Piazza Navone, Rome this morning - check out this video.

The guys on the left of the video near the truck are the fascists, with italian flags wrapped around large sticks. The autonomists/anarchists/social centre comrades are on the right of the screen. Unbelievable footage!

[original article]

Bookmark/Search this post with:

delicious | digg | reddit | newsvine | furl | google | yahoo | technorati