Tensions were high at the May Day demonstration in Turin, where a group of over a thousand protesters broke away from the march and headed towards the occupied former Askatasuna social centre on Corso Regina Margherita, where they attempted to break through the police cordon, sparking violent clashes.
The protesters hit the shields of the police with clubs and sprayed officers and soldiers with canisters. The police responded by charging and using a water cannon .
After the initial charges, there was a pause of a few minutes, then the protesters resumed attacking the mobile units, throwing glass bottles at them. A group of protesters then remained seated on the ground in Corso Regina Margherita, in front of the Askatasuna, while others left the street and slipped into the adjacent streets surrounding the building, attempting to enter the gardens behind the occupied former social center . One group even managed to reach the gate to the Askatasuna garden and open it, but the mobile police units were inside and repelled them with charges and tear gas .
The group has dwindled to a few hundred, some with their faces covered. They continue to roam the neighborhood and attempt to attack the back of the community center, even throwing rocks and glass bottles at law enforcement .
This segment of the opposition is made up of, among others, the Askatasuna autonomists, the Vanchiglia neighborhood committee, the No Tav, Pro Palestine, and student groups . They broke away from the rest of the march in Piazza Castello, the demonstration's arrival point, to reach Corso Regina Margherita 47, the building of the former social center occupied for thirty years and evicted last December . This intention had already been announced in recent days, for which the police were ready.
The situation returned to normal by lunchtime, when the self-employed workers left the area for the Pozzo Gardens, not far from the Einaudi University campus, for a Labor Day lunch organized by the self-employed workers themselves. They had asked in recent days to hold the event in the garden of the former community center, but the prefecture refused.
"This city has taught us so many things over the years. This city has taught us that injustices should not be ignored. Since December 18th, there's been a wound that's been bleeding. The Askatasuna social center was evicted. When faced with injustice, we choose which side we're on; we choose to be partisans. So, let's go there now. Full speed ahead," they said into the microphone before breaking away from the procession and heading toward the former social center.
(Unioneonline)