14N Live Report from Italy

14 / 11 / 2012

Demonstrations have regained the streets, many actions took place against banking branches, train stations have been halted, European institutions responsible for austerity politics have been occupied and besieged: in Italy the European Strike day becomes the invasion of squares and streets by young people, precarious workers and students demanding basic income, an unanimous claim for rights to get it over with public debt blackmail.
The day of mobilization started very early in the morning, like in Padua where the independent union ADL-Cobas blockaded the industrial estate of the city. 
Crowded demonstration with students, young people and precarious workers took place in every city. 
In Mestre the Cassa di Risparmio main branch has been occupied for more than one hour , other actions against banks occurred in Padova, Ancona and Perugia
In Milano after an action against a bank branch, two demonstrations moved to the center of the city. The one which started from piazza Cordusio has been charged by the police but demonstrators succeeded in the resistance.
The police violently charged demonstrators also in Brescia to keep them from entering the train station. After the clash they have marched to the center of the city.
Also in Padova a highly crowded march crossed the center toward the train station and was charged by the police while trying to get in; demonstrators have resisted and halted the streets until two arrested persons were freed.
In Palermo the seat of the Sicily regional government has been blocked, the same happened in Trieste where students occupied the seat of the local Province. 
In Bergamo three demonstrations moved at the same time early in the morning from different points of the town, blocking the center. They finally reunited and a big students and precarious workers demonstration reached the square where the mainstream union CGIL was ending its ritual march. The stage was occupied by young people declaring that “the strike is not for skilled workers categories, the strike is for everyone!”
In Rome students have moved from university La Sapienza toward the National Governament. Police has charged with violence the huge demonstration on the Lungotevere. Many attivist was bitten by the police and arrested.
Marches and demonstrations are still being held in numerous cities.
In Naples two days ago an Italian-German summit at the presence of the minister of welfare Mrs. Fornero – the one who accused Italian young people of being too “choosy” in their working preferences –, ended in a day long clash with police: tear-gas caps were used as bullets seriously hurting young people in the crowd. Today the mobilization at Fiat in Pomigliano: students, precarious workers and unemployed people demonstrated showing a giant poster of 12N clashes, also challenging the presence at the demonstration of some Democratic Party representatives, contradicting their support to the austerity government of Mario Monti. Meanwhile in the city of Naples 5.000 students are demonstrating, hitting several temporary job agencies and challenging mainstream union CGIL for its poor contribution to this day of struggle – Cgil called only a four hour strike and refused to change its bureaucratic habits in favor of a larger alliance against European economic policies.
14N in Italy had already began in the past days also through the occupations of buildings and estates rescued from unearned revenue and military exploitation, like in Bologna, Vicenza and Padua. Many schools and university faculties have been occupied by the initiative of students and precarious workers who are no more disposed to suffer public debt blackmail as the only possible horizon. 
The day of struggle has not ended and new actions and demonstrations are expected.
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