It has been an intense week in Italian politics. Long-time leader and ‘buffoon’ Silvio Berlusconi has been forced from power, new austerity measures passed and the occupy movement has begun to take hold. For on the 11th of November, as the parliament passed an EU imposed reform bill, thousands demonstrated across the country under the banner of ‘No austerity occupy everywhere’. In Bologna, a university city famous for political activism in the 1970s, three permanent occupations were established. The actions kicked off the night before, with a group of ‘indignati’ (indignant) occupying an abandoned warehouse in the centre of the city. The 11.11.11 started with a march by thousands of high school students, who had skipped class to demonstrate against the austerity bill. Students held signs reading “bail out schools, not the banks” and “occupy education”. Later in the afternoon hundreds participated in a ‘flash mob for change’. While at the same time another group began an occupation of the university, demanding free education for all. At around 7pm the ‘Procession of the Bankrupt Saint’ began. Thousands danced through the streets chanting “We won’t pay for the banker’s crisis”, stopping along the way at banks to put on satirical theatre performances. When the procession arrived at the main square, flares were set off and a human chain created around the entrance to an abandoned cinema. A small group of protestors entered the building first, checking for safety hazards and connecting the lights. When it was determined to be safe, an announcement was made over the loud speaker and all of the protesters poured into the building to begin the occupation. Crowds cheered as a banner which read “Occupy everywhere“ was erected at the entrance. Read More Here | Take The Square
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