Naples – The Italian police fired tear gas and water cannons at demonstrators who had gathered to protest against the arrival of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. On Wednesday, over 2,000 demonstrators took to the streets to oppose a plan to revive a former industrial site.
The development of the Bagnoli district is scheduled to begin in 2016 and be completed in 2018 or 2016. The local community, who have argued that they had not been consulted and involved in the projects, marched through the city carrying placards that read: “Renzi stay at home” and “Banished from Naples.”
Naples mayor Luigi de Magistris, who had argued that Renzi failed to consult him on the development of the site, has declared his city a “Renzi-free zone.”
It is claimed that the new urban development initiative will provide well needed facilities to the area and will also restore the site’s environment. However, Magistris has stated that the development of the Bagnoli former industrial site serves the interests of construction groups rather than the citizens.
#Napoli – il corteo blocca le strade della città dirigendosi verso piazza Plebiscito! pic.twitter.com/Fdi2pV6xn5
— globalproject.info (@global_project) 6 April 2016
In a video posted online, protesters can be seen marching through the city streets holding a banner that stated: “Napoli distrusts Renzi’s government.” In addition, on the same banner, protesters voiced that they are also against the Job Act that Renzi imposed last year. The act had been welcomed by many large businesses, as it makes firing employees much easier and allowed them to benefit from temporary tax breaks.
Lungomare Caracciolo, devastato dopo il passaggio dei “”””””manifestanti”””””
Posted by IV Reparto Mobile Napoli on Wednesday, 6 April 2016
According to La Stampa, many of the protesters are unemployed and have been laid-off from their positions.
In the middle of the protest scene, protesters placed a large Pinocchio puppet representing Matteo Renzo. The puppet was dressed in a T-shirt that had the Partito Democratico letters ‘PD’—Italy’s Democratic Party—printed on the front.
A photo posted by Alessio Viscardi (@alessioviscardi) on
Videos and images circulating on social media, show the Italian police—armed with batons and shields firing water cannons at the fleeing protesters. According to reports, some foreign tourists and passers-by were forced to hide in nearby restaurants and businesses in order to flee the violent scene. Four police officers are said to have suffered minor injuries.
#Napoli pesantissime cariche con idranti e lacrimogeni al corteo contro #Renzi#jatevennepic.twitter.com/pUj7VKA448
— globalproject.info (@global_project) 6 April 2016
Image: Flickr, Giorgio Montersino
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