The procession prepares to leave
(Alberto Giulini) The “street parade” organized by the Askatasuna social center is preparing to start from Piazza Vittorio Veneto, in the center of Turin. It will not be the usual procession but a succession of artists on board two vans with sound systems. «This New Year’s Eve the Askatasuna is the whole city: with music and dancing in the joy of being together to greet a new year of struggles – explain the activists -. In spite of the alarmism, December 31st is an opportunity to go out onto the streets of Turin, with a smile and with the desire to continue to believe in a different future, together with everyone and all those who are not resigned to the idea of leaving room for the desert.” There are already a few thousand people in the square, including activists from the social center and many young people who are gathering.
The event, which has been planned for several weeks, presents itself first and foremost as a big New Year’s party. Over the course of the night, twelve bands and deejays will alternate on the vans that will cross the streets of Turin. In the city, however, the alert will be raised in light of the recent eviction of Askatasuna. The fears are linked to possible “actions” during the night and to the possible attempt to approach the building in Corso Regina Margherita 47. An unknown factor is represented by the route of the large musical procession: no “notice of demonstration” was presented at the police station. This is also why the controls have been strengthened in “sensitive” places in the city. The area around the former community center will be more armored than usual, already “militarized” since the day the police raided for the eviction.
At the entrance to Via Po and all the roads leading to the historic center, various vehicles and the police water cannon have been positioned. The objective is to prevent the procession from heading towards the historic center, where there are construction sites for the pedestrianization of Via Roma.
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