11.3.06

Tumultos de extrema esquerda em Milão

Anti-globalization protesters clashed with police in Italy's financial center on Saturday, underlining political tension ahead of April's elections.

Up to 300 left-wing protesters, many wearing balaclavas and wielding crowbars, set fire to cars and a building on one of Milan's busiest shopping streets when police tried to break up their protest against a fascist pre-election rally.

Angry shopkeepers and residents cornered a few of the protesters and punched and kicked them, before police managed to drag them off. A nail bomb injured nine police officers and at least 45 protesters were detained, police said.

"They turned a quiet Saturday into a war zone," Milan council official Riccardo Dicorato told Reuters while police rounded up dozens of demonstrators and firemen hosed down burning cars and motor scooters.