Right-wing Northern League
party leader Matteo Salvini made waves in Rome on Wednesday in a
lead-up to his planned anti-government protest in the capital on
Saturday.
Salvini appeared at Capitoline Hill, seat of the local
government and Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino, bearing a banner that
read "Send Marino Home", a play on the title of Saturday's
planned demonstration against the Italian premier entitled "Send
Renzi Home".
"I'm here because I hope to help the Romans retake their
city because Mayor Marino is inadequate to administer a
beautiful city," Salvini said.
Meanwhile, left-wing Sel party local leader Gianluca
Peciola said his party will stage a counter-protest in Rome on
Saturday.
"The League governed for years with (ex-premier Silvio)
Berlusconi and now Salvini wants to act like he's new to
politics. These men are dangerous and they must be stopped. On
Saturday we'll demonstrate with democratic, anti-fascist and
anti-racist forces," Peciola said.
However, even members of the extreme right-wing Casa Pound
party said their planned Saturday anti-government demonstration
in Piazza Vittorio, which hasn't been authorized by local
police, is against Salvini.
The party tweeted: "In Piazza Vittorio we invite the Rome
that doesn't want Salvini".
Casa Pound added: "On Saturday we'll fill the streets of
the city with those who are against Salvini and his hypocritical
operation".
"Now he says he wants to leave the euro, but for nine years
the League was with the government," said a member of Casa
Pound.
Salvini has garnered harsh criticism for his outspoken
views on the euro and immigration.
"The euro is dead," Salvini said in a radio interview on
Wednesday.
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