The biggest demonstration in the world so far against war in Iraq
engulfed Florence yesterday, at least doubling the city's population
of 350,000 and turning the city's inner ring-road into a mighty river
of protest. The organisers claimed that more than 400,000 people
took part.
Rumours of violence planted by Italy's right-wing parties over
recent months persuaded most city businesses to close for the
day and many Florentines to leave the city. But the enormous
march was resoundingly good humoured. Some participants
carried signs reading "We love you Florence"; citizens responded
by hanging white banners of peace out of their windows and
throwing confetti on to the marchers.
"This is the first all-Europe demonstration against the war on Iraq,"
Vittorio Agnoletto, the Italian organiser, told The Independent on
Sunday. "But it won't be the last: tomorrow we are meeting to plan
future protests. We are Italy's real opposition more than 300
different Italian organisations are taking part. And I am sure there
will be no violence. Look, we are laughing. We cannot change the
world with our anger, only by building consensus."
The protest was more like acarnival than a confrontation. The
police were invisible. Huge contingents from Italy, Britain, France,
Germany and Greece marched alongside striking Fiat workers,
brass bands and giant puppets.
The demonstration brought to a resounding conclusion Florence's
four-day European Social Forum.
"The war on Iraq is the beginning of a new grand strategy for the
United States," said Susan George, the American vice-chair of the
French group Attac, "the first war not justified by the containment of
aggression.
A member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War said: "We, soldiers
in previous wars, are telling the soldiers of today, don't fight."