Demonstrators take to the streets of Rome to protest against austerity cuts
(24 Nov 2012) SHOTLIST 1. Wide of students holding a banner reading (Italian) banner on left: "Guelfs and Ghibellines against the government of puppets" (Italian Premier Mario Monti recently described fighting between Italy's political parties as being like the conflict between the medieval Italian political factions the Guelfs and Ghibellines); banner on right: "You feed off our schools; we are ignorant and hungry" 2. Close up of students holding shields with slogans on, yelling: UPSOUND (Italian) "We are all against fascism" 3. Mid of students lining up holding colourful shields 4. Wide of protesters marching 5. Close up of banner reading: (Italian) "Banks control politicians, private funds will control public schools" 6. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Piero Bernocchi, teacher and union leader: "Teachers and students are taking to the streets in order to protest against the continuous impoverishment of public schools, but also against a bad government, which can't control the economic crisis, which is not solving the issue of public debts but is deepening the unemployment, the economic recession, and flexibility, which will hit students after they leave school." 7. Mid of protesters marching 8. Close up of a banner reading (Italian) "Free to choose and ready to react" 9. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Emanuela Boni, feminist activist: "Women are revolting against a future without welfare, because women are the first target of the effects of the crisis - on their bodies and inside their houses, where they are victims of domestic violence, because they are left alone, without social and economic help." 10. Wide of students marching, some holding hands 11. Mid of riot police lined up wearing helmets and holding shields 12. Mid of protesters marching in front of Ministry of Justice, launching firework 13. Mid of police helicopter monitoring the march 14. Mid of protesters marching through Piazza Boca delle Verita 15. Wide of protesters weaving flags and marching, with Colosseum in the background STORYLINE Thousands of students marched in central Rome on Saturday to protest against austerity measures imposed by the government to try to stop Italy becoming a victim of the eurozone's debt crisis. Protesters gathered to march through the centre of the Italian capital with banners and flags criticising Italy's non-elected government. Premier Mario Monti took office exactly a year ago with the task of keeping Italy from succumbing to the eurozone debt crisis, raising taxes and introducing tough cuts and pension reforms. But Italy's trade unions have criticised the government for wide budget cuts which they insist block growth and worsen the country's already high unemployment numbers. Holding colourful shields and waving flags, students and teachers marched together to ask Monti's government to help public schools rather than have them depend on private funds. "Teachers and students are taking to the streets in order to protest against the continuous impoverishment of public schools, but also against a bad government, which can't control the economic crisis," said Piero Bernocchi, a teacher and union leader. Feminist activist Emanuela Boni said the economic crisis and the austerity measures hit women the hardest, saying that "women are revolting against a future without welfare." Hundreds of policemen lined up behind riot shields and a police helicopter monitored the situation from above while protesters waved flags and chanted slogans as part of four separately organised marches on the capital. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
