On the streets of Rome, Italy’s capital, up to 200.000 demonstrators took the streets to join the global protest called from one side to other of the world. Among those, a group of Black Bloc protesters – between 100 and 200 people – hijacked the peaceful march with an explosion of violence against stores, banks, cars, police and other protesters.

October 15th was the day of worldwide demonstrations. In 951 cities in more than 80 countries hundreds of thousands of people took the streets and the squares to protest against financial elites, capitalists, bankers and governments’ austerity measures and to claim rights and real democracy for all.

Although the massive participation in most of the cities, reports on violence are rare and the protests were peaceful and quiet even in the European capitals which are the epicenter of the crisis and where the anger and the frustration are stronger.

In this scenario of collaboration and solidarity the exception has been Rome. Here just half an hour after the peaceful march of the Italian “indignados” started – at around 2.30 pm Italian time –, a small group of demonstrators with covered faces and clad totally in black broke away from the main rally and began to throw bottles, stones and incendiary devices at stores, banks, and police.

Numerous cars and trash bins were set on fire in the streets of downtown, offices of the Defence Ministry were assaulted and set on fire as well, banks and stores’ windows were smashed, journalists crew were attacked and many other damages were caused by the group of Black Bloc rioters. Pictures and videos report images of urban guerrilla, terrified people, bloody faces, fire, smoke, destruction and violence. They show the “total black protesters” breaking away from the main group and attacking police and peaceful demonstrators on their way.

The estimated number of injured people is around 70. Two protesters and one policeman have been seriously hurt, one of them – a 52-years-old man who tried to stop the violents – lost two fingers for the explosion of a firecracker thrown by one of the Black Blocs – as it’s shown in one video.

During a high tension moment of clashes between riot police and the violent group, a police armour-plated car was set on fire and police charged repeatedly the protesters and used tear gas and water cannons to stop the riots. The peaceful part of demonstrators, that is the big majority of them, ran away and fled the violence. Some of them who turned against the small violent group trying to stop and push them away were attacked and injured.

Around 12 people have been arrested. Rome’s mayor Gianni Alemanno, ministers and leaders of all parties blamed the violence. Some leader of the opposition questioned on how it was possible that the police was not able to stop such a small and well identifiable violent group for so many hours.

Meanwhile, on the web and on social media some users are rising the question on whether the Black Blocs could be real protesters or infiltrated policemen. Some suggest also that those protesters could have been paid and supported by “men of power”, who have strong interests in a violent hijacking of the peaceful protest to boycott it and manipulate the consequent news for condemning the demonstration. At the moment there is no proof for these conjectures to be true.

What it’s sure is that the news of the violent riots spread easier and stronger than the actual and true mass event which was this global peaceful protest covering it up. Though this has been a serious and blameworthy violence episode, we should also look to the importance and the strength of a worldwide movement that gathered 200.000 people just in Rome who are claiming for a future and protesting against a heavy economical crisis which is not the people’s fault. Also in a country which is standing on bended knees such as Italy, people answered to the call “People of the word: rise up!”.

The article Italy, Black Blocs Hijacked 15October #globalchange Demonstrations in Rome appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

On October 15th people from all over the world will take to the streets and squares” announces 15october.net, the website in charge of mobilizing tomorrow’s event. “From America to Asia, from Africa to Europe, people are rising up to claim their rights and demand a true democracy. Now it is time for all of us to join in a global nonviolent protest” they add.

And apparently people have heard the call because at this moment, 951 cities in 82 different countries have already sign up for the global change. The last ones to join have been Tirana, Albany and Madeira, Portugal, but the long list includes several cities worldwide such as Tijuana in Mexico, Jerusalem in Israel, Brisbane in Australia and Bamako in Mali.

Take The Square, the “informative platform in English that aims to support the ongoing pro-democracy protests throughout Europe” explains on its website that this social movement was born with the objective of making a civil response to the global crisis of society through a global, but peaceful, protest: “The key of 15 Oct should not be just mobilizing people, and doing some actions simultaneously, but being conscious that the world is acting together, and therefore starting to build a network between all of us, for deciding all together […] We know that the powers are global, that we live in a globalized world, and therefore our answer should be global too.”

All the evidence points to October 15th not being an isolated event but the result of individuals and collectives coming together in unity to protest. It is part of a movement for social change that has spread to the world in incredible time. Everything started in Egypt and Tunisia, then protests moved to Spain with the 15M and now Occupy Wall Street, the latest example of people’s thirst for change.

The manifesto, which has been translated into 18 languages, explains that the aim of this mass protest is to send a clear message to politicians and the financial elite: “United in one voice, we will let politicians, and the financial elites they serve, know it is up to us, the people, to decide our future. We are not goods in the hands of politicians and bankers who do not represent us.” It also defies the deep sense of unease and the weariness of the world’s population due to financial crisis: “The ruling powers work for the benefit of just a few, ignoring the will of the vast majority and the human and environmental price we all have to pay. This intolerable situation must end.”

If you still have doubts about what October 15th means and what will happen all over the world tomorrow, the answer to these questions might help you:

What? “People from all over the world will take to the streets and squares”.

When? October 15th 2011.

Where? All over the world, 951 cities in 82 different countries have already sign up for the #globalchange.

Why? “It’s time for us to unite. It’s time for them to listen.”

How? “We will meet on the streets to initiate the global change we want. We will peacefully demonstrate, talk and organize until we make it happen.”

If you want to report about the happenings in your city tomorrow, use the hashtag #event15oct on Twitter.com

The article #Globalchange, Occupy Wall Street Launches 15october appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.