Outside our hotel

Near our hotel

Riots in Roma

Today we were on the edges of a scarey demonstration in Rome- cops in riot gear with tear gas etc and people in hoodies on the other side. We were walking back to our hotel via the coloseum but couldn't because it was blocked by every type of police van possible. Walked up Via Nazionale which was closed to traffic, but full of police of every variety, some with dogs. Several train stations were closed so we caught the metro to San Giovanni. On the way the train filled up with young people escaping from the demo. Got out at San Giovanni to a station full of smoke. Ran out into the edges of a riot, fires, kids with iron bars, cops with tear gas. We managed to get out and back to our hotel-eyes streaming from the tear gas and stinking of smoke). All was quiet for a little while but now 7.55pm Rome time (1.55am in Perth) there is a huge demo in Via Magna Grecia and we are watching it from our hotel window. I hope that it stays as a peaceful demo and they stay safe as young people have come from all over Italy to demonstrate against the shitty situation for people in Italy (linking in with similar demos around the world).

The people have moved on -they were just passing through towards piazza San Giovanni.