In all honesty, at first I wasn’t that interested in attending the Anti Berlusconi demonstration. I just don’t find politics very interesting. But curiosity got the better of me and Cart and I headed to the Piazza Del Popolo last Saturday.
By the time we reached there, it was bustling with activity. All the way from the metro to the piazza, it was crowded with people. Cart guessed that there were about a good 30 thousand people when we reached there at 3. There were even more people streaming in as we left later.
Many of these people were wearing purple in a demonstration against Berlusconi’s corruption like the hiring of unqualified girls for his party.
I was hypothesizing that since purple in Italian is viola, the colour was chosen because it was close to the word violare, which means to violate.
There were an impressively large number of people carrying banners and marching around
But I was amused and most impressed at this very well made effigy. Everywhere the dummy went, the camera would follow.
And in this picture, he was probably trying to make the kid in the red coat cry by lowering the dummy close to the boy.
Eventually the speeches started and everyone was listening keenly to the speeches being done on stage. And all around me was cheering and clapping at what was being said.
Even though I couldn’t follow smoothly at what was being said, I thought that the event was very well planned and executed. Every speeches went back to back with no awkward pauses.
But what amazed me the most was the unity and the very public display of protest. And yet everything was very civil. What an eye opener.
I couldnt help but to compare it to Singapore’s own Hong Lim Park and all its regulations.
We are still far far away from having such peaceful protest. But honestly, I wish I could see it happening in Singapore one day before I die.
Come to London and you’ll see a protest or demonstration nearly everyday. The most amusing one was when they stood naked on top of the buildings in the cold, can’t really remember what it was about.
Interesting article and interesting Wikipedia link.
DK
Protest doesnt mean that you are being anti social, in most cases, in my opinion is the right to speak out on something that one is passionate about.
Katie-Lucie
Here in Rome, there is a protest every now and then, just recently the subway was doing a protest. I have to admit that it was an inconvenience though.
But I think that’s the point. They want people to notice. Maybe next time I’ll talk more about the culture of protests here 🙂
Brad
Thanks. How is it for you in your experience back in the States?
The protests and demonstrations are not too bad here as they give warnings a few days ahead so we can avoid it. But State visits are not as they avoid a security risk. Yesterday I could not park the car at home as they blocked the road and they wouldn’t let me through even though it was a few metres away. Traffic here is bad on a normal day, but yesterday was worse (could be beacause we were behind the gun team with the horses bucking every now and then).
My friends in SG says Sg’reans either cant be bothered to protest or are too scared to try !
We hv constant protests for better pay here. I don’t support these people who r paid to haul the trash, get the public transport going, etc. The worker’s union r using these people to flex their muscles – shame on them for empowering the disruption. Millions r lost when we can’t get to the office n get the work done ! We hv encountered rail strikes – imagine missing ur flight n paying for the hotel at the other end, even tho ur vacation is already ruined ? For my hubs it’s even worse bec he missed meetings abroad n the hotelroom is cancelled. It’s really a nightmare ! OK, my 2 cent’s worth.