Embassy Issues Alert for Americans During Summit

(ANSA) - Rome, July 3 - The United States embassy in Rome has alerted Americans living in and visiting Italy to be "especially attentive and alert" during the period from the July 4th Independence Day celebrations through the July 8-10 Group of Eight summit in L`Aquila. In a "Warden Message" the embassy said that "several demonstrations are planned over the next ten days that may affect US interests or those of the G8 countries." These include "a large demonstration" on July 4 at the US military base in Vicenza, against expanding the Dal Molin
airport facility to house American troops, and the embassy said "American citizens should avoid the area around Vicenza for the period July 3-5." The embassy did not mention that the protest has been organized by nonviolent activists, as it does other protests over the next ten days.

These included a torchlight walk the night between July 5 and 6 through the center of L'Aquila from 24.00hrs to 03.32hrs, the latter being the time of the powerful April 6 earthquake in the capital of the Abruzzo region. On July 7, there will be a large demonstration in Piazza Barberini, down the hill from the US embassy, where several hundred people are expected to "welcome" G-8 leaders with loud music organized by the grass roots and independent unions.

The embassy also said that the Italian news media has reported that some unspecified groups may attempt random protests in central Rome July 8 and 9. There may also be another demonstration in L'Aquila July 10, after the G8 is over, the embassy said.

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