LEFT: Pope Benedict XVI greets United States President George W. Bush (left) during their meeting at the Vatican yesterday. RIGHT: A protester clashes with anti-riot police during a demonstration against the visit by United States President George W. Bush, in Rome, yesterday. Bush met Pope Benedict and told the pontiff he believed the G8 summit in Germany had been a success. - Reuter photosROME (AP):
Italian riot police used tear gas yesterday against anti-Bush demonstrators who donned face masks in defiance of a police order and threw bottles and other objects, disrupting an anti-globalisation demonstration that was ending in the capital's ancient centre.
The violence broke out after United States President George W. Bush had concluded his official business for the day during a visit to Italy and had returned to the residence of the U.S. ambassador across town.
More than an hour into the clashes, police charged the demonstrators, pursuing them down alleyways to break up the crowd as helicopters circled overhead.
Protestor detained
At least one protester was detained and taken away by police in plain clothes. News agency ANSA said six people were taken into custody.
An AP reporter saw at least one police officer injured as well as one demonstrator. Police at the scene said several more officers had been injured.
The violence broke out as the protest march reached its destination at Piazza Navona, famed for its Bernini fountain and a favourite tourist gathering spot.
Thousands of police had been deployed around the Colosseum, the downtown Piazza Venezia and other venues to guard against the possible violence and demonstrators had been warned not to cover their faces, carry sticks or other weapons.
Violent demonstrators
Smoke filled a broad boulevard from which violent demonstrators lobbed objects and smoke bombs at police taking cover in an alley, and ripped-out security cameras .
Demonstrators ran wild in the historic area, kicking in the window of a bank, breaking flowerpots and using the pieces as projectiles, overthrowing garbage cans and spraying graffiti on a nearby McDonald's. Masked demon-strators wearing black had infiltrated the otherwise peaceful protest and used it as cover to hurl objects at police. Other protesters later tried to stand between the violent elements and the police, putting up their arms to prevent further violence.
Organisers put the crowd in the main demonstration - which earlier had marched peacefully through the city behind a banner "No Bush, no war," and beating drums - at some 150,000. The march stretched for about a kilometre (less than a mile.)
Protesters - many of whom had taken trains from cities in northern Italy- took aim at local and global issues, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as Italy's participation in the latter. Also targeted was Bush's environmental policies and the planned expansion of a U.S. military base in the north-eastern city of Vicenza.
