Climate activists held a large banner saying “stop patents, vaccines are a global right” as they paraded along the banks of the Tiber river amid heightened security due to the G20 summit.
Thousands of people have marched in Rome during the summit of the leaders of the Group of 20
major economies, calling on them to act against climate change
and ensure fair access to Covid-19 vaccines.
Climate activists led the march on Saturday, carrying colourful
placards, playing drums and dancing as they demanded world
leaders save the planet.
“We are holding this protest for environmental and social
issues and against the G20, which continues undaunted on a path
that has almost led us to social and ecological failure,” said
protester Edoardo Mentrasti.
READ MORE: G-20 summit opens with call for more vaccines for poor nations
High security
They marched alongside students and groups of workers in a
city on high security alert, with up to 6,000 police and about
500 soldiers deployed to maintain order.
In Saturday’s march, a large banner saying “stop patents,
vaccines are a global right” was held by demonstrators parading
along the banks of the Tiber river.
In the morning, the G20 leaders kicked off two days of talks
where they were set to acknowledge the existential threat of
climate change, but stop short of radical new commitments to
tame global warming.
READ MORE:
Activists rally urging G20 leaders to halt global vaccine inequality
“There is an alternative to a development model based on 20
of the world’s most important heads of state meeting in a room
and deciding on the fate of the world,” demonstrator Luca
Ianniello said.
A separate, smaller protest against the Italian government,
was in progress a few kilometres away.
Demonstrators have been kept far from the summit centre,
located in a suburb built by the 20th Century fascist dictator
Benito Mussolini.
Metro stations have been closed and bus routes diverted due to the G20 summit.
Italian police are particularly anxious about unrest after recent protests over the country’s mandatory Covid health pass for workers turned violent when neo-fascist activists attacked the headquarters of the CGIL labour union in Rome.
Source: TRTWorld and agencies
Thousands march in Rome as G20 leaders discuss climate
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