Italians protest over economic crisis

Hundreds of thousands of Italians marched in Rome, Italy today, shouting anti-government slogans, protesting against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's handling of the economic crisis.

The story was reported in the British newspaper Herald Sun and described Italians varying from students, to workers, to leftist politicians took to the streets in Rome with red banners and balloons, blocking off traffic to much of central Rome. One of the banners at the scene read "Enough! It's time Italy fires Berlusconi!"

A protester was quoted in the newspaper saying how the government keeps making announcements, when instead they should give checks to people who lose their jobs. He made a statement saying "Berlusconi talks and talks but the money never shows up."

Its estimated up to 500,000 Italians can lose their job within a two-year span, up to mid 2010.The amount of Italians unemployed can be much higher than in 2007 when the economic crisis began.

More of this story can be read on the Herald Sun's website.


Eva Bruce (Italy)