Leftists riot in Rome

Press, 14 December 1977, Page 8

Leftists riot in Rome

NZPA-Reuter Rome Thousands of Left-wing students, angered by a ban on an anii-Fascist rally, have rioted on the streets of central Rome. They hurled petrol-bombs at political offices, shops, and bars, and hijacked cars and buses as barricades against police riot squads. They also sabotaged the traffic-light system, causing big jams throughout Rome. The police, who made 328 arrests, fired repeated rounds of tear-gas for three hours to quell the demonstration. Many of those detained will be charged with possessing petrol-bombs or firearms. At least six persons were injured, including five hit by a petrol-bomb explosion in a

bar. Two of the victims, both teen-agers were badly brigades answered 2J emergency calls — one to .« police bus besieged by deny onstrators throwing petrok bombs. , . Five political brancu offices were among th« students’ targets, and th* guard at an office of the ruling Christian Democratic Party was beaten up. The students, estimated t| number about 3000, split uf into small groups after then rally was banned, and infill trated through a he*'! police cordon around th| city centre They had planned to com, memorate the eighth anni« versary of a bombing —* blamed on neo-Fascists -« that killed 16 persons nf Milan.