Hundreds injured in black bloc riots in Rome

Occupy Wall Street protests took place in Europe and the United States again. In Europe, the largest demonstration against large corporations and banks took place in Italian capital Rome. The peaceful action of protest in Rome developed into violence, in which over 100 people were injured.

Photo: Source: Russia 24 screenshot

As many as 100,000 people took to the streets of Rome protesting the toughening of economic measures. The action ended with riots and bloodshed. The pogroms had been previously arranged via social networks. They took place with the use of    the black bloc tactics, when activists hide underneath black hoods, scarves and helmets.

Protesters clad in black with their faces covered threw rocks, bottles and other objects at police in riot gear. Some had held clubs, others had hammers. They threw an incendiary devices and firecrackers at banks, destroyed bank ATMs and set trash bins on fire, news reports said. Two news crews from Sky Italia were assaulted. TV footage showed police in riot gear charging the protesters and firing water cannons at them, BusinessWeek said.

Italian police said that at least four people had been injured in the clashes on Saturday, while the ANSA news agency reported that as many as 70 had been wounded, with three in serious condition. The protests began in New York City and moved to Asia and Europe, linking up with anti-austerity demonstrations that have raged across the debt-ridden continent for months, The Root said.