VERONA, Italy聽鈥 Hundreds of people marched through the streets of Verona a few hours before the Olympics closing ceremony to protest against housing costs and environmental concerns linked to the Winter Games.
The rally, 鈥淥lympics? No thanks鈥, was organized by university groups and associations that oppose hosting an event they say disrupts forests, pours concrete onto fragile land and deepens social inequality.
鈥淲e are here to defend our territory from speculation… and from the impossible cost of attending events,鈥 said Giannina Dal Bosco, a 76鈥憏ear鈥憃ld activist.
Tickets for the ceremony were priced from 950 euros ($1,120) to a top level of 2,900 euros. It started at 8:30 p.m. (1930 GMT) inside Verona鈥檚 ancient Roman arena.
One banner read: 鈥淔ewer Games for the few, more homes for everyone.鈥
Francesca, 34, who traveled from Vicenza, about 60 kilometers (40 miles) away, said the landscape had been 鈥渄isfigured鈥 by new Olympic structures.
鈥淭hey built concrete monstrosities like the bobsleigh track, which will serve no purpose,鈥 she said. 鈥淧ublic money has been wasted that could have been used for hydrogeological safety and housing plans.鈥
Several protesters wore keffiyeh scarves and waved Palestinian flags.
Protesters marched for around two hours outside the security perimeter, from the 16th鈥慶entury Porta Palio to the 19th鈥慶entury Arsenal Square.
They briefly stopped at the point closest to the red zone, unsuccessfully asking to be allowed inside. Before the march moved on, activists painted the words 鈥淔IVE CIRCLES, A THOUSAND DEBTS鈥 in large letters on the road.
Verona鈥檚 mayor Damiano Tommasi said high鈥憄rofile events such as the Olympics always carried the risk of people seeking visibility and trying to exploit the moment, and that it was appropriate to deploy a heightened level of security.
A much larger demonstration 鈥 drawing nearly 10,000 people 鈥 took place in Milan on the first day of the Games and later turned violent. ($1 = 0.8482 euros). 鈥斅Reuters
