The construction site of the Turin-Lyon railway in Chiomonte, in the Susa Valley, has been attacked on multiple fronts by several hundred protesters.
Two Carabinieri vans were set on fire during the assault, which is still ongoing. It is not yet known whether there are any casualties. The protesters are all dressed in black and wearing helmets and gas masks. Law enforcement officers are repelling the attacks from inside the construction site using tear gas and water cannons, while the protesters throw stones and bottles and fire firecrackers and rockets, including from homemade mortars.
A group of about one hundred masked individuals was stopped by police, while another larger group was intercepted at Bruzolo, between San Didero and Bussoleno, to prevent them from reaching the construction site. The protesters damaged some New Jersey barriers.
Meanwhile, motorway operator Sitaf announced that, for public order reasons, it has closed the A32 Turin-Bardonecchia motorway between the Oulx and Susa Est junctions.
Earlier, several hundred activists from the most confrontational and extremist wing of the movement had thrown stones and firecrackers at law enforcement officers deployed to protect the San Didero construction site. Tear gas was fired to disperse the protesters. The initial clashes lasted approximately twenty minutes.
The march towards the "construction sites of devastation," as it had been named by the organisers, set off in the early afternoon from Venaus. According to the organisers, twenty thousand people are taking part.
The No TAV movement's march was renamed by its organisers as a "march towards the construction sites of devastation."
At the front of the procession, a banner read: "We were there, we are here, we will be here. Now and always, No TAV." The march is organised on the occasion of the tenth edition of the "Alta Felicità" festival: as every year, musical and cultural events are scheduled through tomorrow.
Reproduction reserved © Copyright ANSA
