Protesters caused over a million Euros in damage in the Italian capital on Saturday. Cars, banks and a church were torched by a few hundred protesters, some armed with explosives and riot gear. Over 100 people suffered injuries in the riots, most of them police. The historic Church of Santi Marcellino and Pietro was vandalized when protesters smashed a statue of the Virgin Mary.
Italian officials, including PM Silvio Berlusconi and the mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, condemned the rioters and promised swift punishment for those responsible. Roughly 20 have been arrested so far, with more expected to come after police inspect video footage.
Protests were not exclusive to Rome; the UK, Mexico, Canada, Tokyo, Sydney, Hong Kong, Portugal, Spain, and Greece all saw protests inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement. Protesters in New York continued their occupation of Wall Street, and more protests were seen in Los Angeles and Pittsburgh.
The movement is a result of distrust of the finance industry and perceived mismanagement of governments responses to financial crises around the world.
The protests on Saturday, some of which carried over into Sunday, were largely peaceful with the exception of the riots in Rome, with only a few arrests made in New York. Protests are unlikely to ebb, and seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity as civilians balk at growing income disparity and the coddling of morally and literally bankrupt financial institutions.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15326561
By Bob Hartzer
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