Berlusconi-Sieg löst Straßenschlachten in Rom aus
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Kurz nachdem Ministerpräsident Silvio Berlusconi im italienischen Parlament zwei Misstrauensvoten gewonnen hat, sind in Rom heftige Krawalle ausgebrochen. Hunderte Demonstranten lieferten sich Straßenschlachten mit der Polizei, mindestens 40 Menschen wurden verletzt.

Rom - Nach den Vertrauensvoten der beiden Kammern des italienischen Parlaments für Ministerpräsident Silvio Berlusconi haben landesweit Zehntausende Regierungs-kritiker gegen das Abstimmungsergebnis protestiert. Nach Angaben von Organisatoren der Demonstrationen gingen allein in Rom rund 100.000 Menschen auf die Straße. Einige warfen mit Farbbeuteln und Feuerwerkskörpern auf die Gebäude der beiden Parlamentskammern, Abgeordnetenhaus und Senat.

Bei den Protesten kam es zu heftigen Krawallen: Eine Gruppe von mehreren hundert Demonstranten lieferte sich im historischen Stadtzentrum Straßenschlachten mit der Polizei. Demonstranten zündeten drei selbstgebaute Sprengsätze in einer Gasse in der Nähe des Parlaments. Andere bewarfen die Beamten mit Eiern und Farbe. Auf der zentralen Via del Corso gingen zahlreiche Schaufenster zu Bruch. >>> ore/dpa/AFP | Dienstag, 14. Dezember 2010

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THE GUARDIAN: Riots break out in Rome after Silvio Berlusconi survives confidence votes: Hooded protesters set up flaming barricades as police baton-charge demonstrators in several parts of capital's historic centre >>> John Hooper, Rome | Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Reporter's Firsthand Account of Thailand Turmoil

Bangkok in Flames as Protesters Refuse to Back Down
THE TELEGRAPH: Bangkok is in flames as the government admits it lost control when protesters set fire to key buildings in the city following a day of running battles with troops which left 12 dead and 60 injured.

A statue of Buddha and a torn Thai national flag remain in front of Bangkok's Central World shopping mall. Photo: The Telegraph
Rioters set fires at the stock exchange, electricity headquarters, banks and government offices. Siam Theatre, a much loved city institution, collapsed in flames. Hundreds of people had to be rescued from the burning headquarters of Channel 3 television. The death toll since fresh outbreaks of violence on Thursday now stands at 51.

The government issued "shoot on site" orders for a dawn raid as troops tried to disperse 2,000 Red Shirts who had been camped in Rajprasong, the capital's premier shopping and office district, for more than six weeks.

Seven of the Red Shirt leaders surrendered to police but militant gangs waged an arson and looting spree. The vast Central World shopping centre was torched as government troops shot to kill in a last ditch effort to defend it.

When the army finally marched cautiously into the protesters' former stronghold they discovered that the 2,000 strong crowd had dwindled to one woman.

Kuesadee Narukan, an elderly nurse, stood holding a red flag in the deserted arena. The sound system remained on and rice was cooking on the boilers. "I am not afraid. I am ready for my punishment," she said. "I am a fighter for democracy. >>> Damien McElroy and Ian MacKinnon in Bangkok | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

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Thai Red Shirts Call Off Protest As Thai Government Troops Storm Barricades
TIMES ONLINE: Thai protest leaders formally called off their anti-government sit-in and surrendered to police today after a bloody army assault on their camp left at least four dead.

Three foreign journalists were shot, one of them fatally and at least three anti-government protesters were killed in Bangkok today as Thai soldiers and armoured vehicles stormed the barricades of the Redshirt encampment.

Seven Red Shirt leaders went on stage in the core protest zone to announce their decision which was greeted with shouts of dismay from the men and women gathered there.

Protest leader Natawut Saikua said "we have done our best." Weng Tojirakarn said: "we want to prevent further losses of our Red Shirt brothers and sisters."

He said "let us first prevent further losses of lives," and urged supporters to leave the area. Red Shirt protesters have now fled the area. >>> Times Online and Richard Lloyd Parry | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

”Black Day for Swiss Democracy and Freedom of Speech”
THE GUARDIAN: · Rioters hurl petrol bombs and torch cars in capital
· Fear that riot will increase support for the far right
The Swiss capital of Berne was turned into a battle zone at the weekend when leftwing radicals seized control of the main square outside parliament, routing the main far-right political party two weeks before a general election and catching the Swiss police off guard.

Dozens of protesters were arrested and around two dozen people injured, mostly police officers, as police deployed tear gas, water cannon, and rubber bullets to try to regain control from gangs of highly organised, masked people who turned the small and normally sleepy capital of Switzerland into a scene of devastation.

The clashes on Saturday and the revulsion triggered among mainstream Swiss by the unusual street violence are likely to play into the hands of Christoph Blocher, the tough-talking populist and millionaire industrialist who leads the Swiss People's Party (SVP), the far-right movement tipped to win the elections later this month following a campaign denounced as overtly racist by a United Nations watchdog.

Mr Blocher called a campaign rally of his party in the capital and some 10,000 of his supporters converged on Berne to march to the capital's main square in front of parliament.

But the planned rally was hijacked by up to 1,000 masked street fighters who blocked the SVP's progress, outwitted the police by operating in small groups moving in and out of the crowds, and ransacked the SVP stage and campaign equipment.

The Federal Square, site of a charming Saturday morning flower and vegetable market, resembled a war zone by Saturday night, littered with debris, masonry, shattered glass and torched metal. Switzerland reeling as radicals create havoc at rightwing political rally (more) By Ian Traynor in Berne

THE NEW YORK TIMES:
Immigration, Black Sheep and Swiss Rage By Elaine Sciolino

WATCH SVP VIDEO:
Swiss People’s Party (SVP): Heaven or Hell (Himmel oder Hölle)

Mark Alexander

Strong Protests Continue in France

Photo courtesy of The Boston Globe

THE BOSTON GLOBE: PARIS -- French police arrested more than 100 demonstrators and hundreds of students went on strike at a Paris university as left-wing protests against president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy continued for a fourth night yesterday.

Some 300 to 400 demonstrators gathered on the Boulevard St - Michel in the Latin Quarter of Paris, ostensibly to protest against a march by far-right supporters.

Shouting slogans like "Sarko fascist! The people will have your hide!" and "Police everywhere, justice nowhere!", the demonstrators were cornered by hundreds of police close to the nearby Luxembourg Gardens.

A police officer at the scene said 118 arrests had been made by 9.30 p.m. Anti-Sarkozy protests escalate, students strike: 118 demonstrators arrested in Paris (more)

Mark Alexander