Police and anti-globalization protestors injured in Italy clashes

May 19, 2009, 14:52 GMT

Turin, Italy - Nineteen police and an unspecified number of of anti-globalization protestors were injured Tuesday in a second day of clashes in the north-western Italian city of Turin.

None of those hurt were in a serious conditions, news reports said.

The clashes began after some 2,000 people joined a demonstration organized by students opposing a gathering of university officials from the Group of Eight (G8) most industrialised nations whose presidency Italy currently holds.

By mid-morning some of the demonstrators began tossing rocks and other missiles at police as they tried to reach the downtown conference venue, which authorities had declared a no-go area.

Police in riot gear responded by charging the demonstrators and firing tear gas canisters. At least two people were detained.

Tuesday's clashes which followed similar scenes on Monday are likely to raise concerns around security for the main G8 summit which Italy is scheduled to host on July 8-10.

The Italian government initially chose as the summit venue an island off Sardinia, hoping that its remote location would deter protestors who in the past have marred G8 gatherings.

However, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has since opted to hold the summit in the central city of L'Aquila, a move aimed at attracting funds to the area which was devastated by an earthquake in April.

In 2001 in Genoa, when Italy last hosted a G8 summit, thousands of demonstrators and police battled in the city's streets with scores injured and one person, a 23-year-old protestor, shot dead.