Hollywood A-listers back Cinema America group after attacks

(ANSA) - Rome, June 27 - Some of Hollywood's biggest names have signed a message of support for Italian leftwing youth group Cinema America after two recent attacks.
    In the first attack, four 20-year-old youths were assaulted by the 'thugs' who objected to the 'anti-Fascist' Cinema America T-shirt one of them was wearing. Then last week the former girlfriend of a senior member of the group, which puts on film screenings in public squares, was the victim of an assault too. "We want to express all of our support and solidarity to the boys and girls assaulted in Rome, and also to the experience of Cinema America and to all of the youth that create a dialogue between the world of the Art and the people," the message read.
    "It is unacceptable that there is still someone that thinks they can impose their view through the use of violence. "We can't accept a wound of this kind, inflicted not only to the world of Art and Cinema but to the whole world".
    The message was signed by Francis Ford Coppola, Alfonso Cuarón, Willem Dafoe, Guillermo del Toro, Stephen Frears, Costa-Gavras, Richard Gere, Amos Gitai, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Jeremy Irons, JR, Babak Karimi, Mathieu Kassovitz, Spike Lee, John Malkovich, Radu Mihăileanu, Keanu Reeves, Paul Schrader, Wim Wenders and Debra Winger.