14.02.2011, 13:03 4526

Italy protests over Berlusconi's sex scandal

Thousands of Italians took to the streets in 200 cities across the country Sunday in protest against sex scandal demanding prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to resign, Kazakhstan Today reports.

Almaty. February 14. Kazakhstan Today - Thousands of Italians took to the streets in 200 cities across the country Sunday in protest against sex scandal demanding prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to resign, Kazakhstan Today reports.

A million protesters, many of them women, took to the streets across Italy on Sunday calling on scandal hit Silvio Berlusconi to resign, The Telegraph reported.

Marches were held in 200 towns and cities throughout the country as Italians voiced their anger and frustration at the 74-year-old Italian prime minister, who is facing charges of having under age sex with a prostitute and abuse of power.

The aim of the rally was for women to protest at how their dignity and the image of the country had been offended by the media tycoon's obsession with young girls.

Protests were held in Milan, Genoa, Naples and Bari but the largest was in Rome where thousands packed into the Piazza del Popolo which two months ago had been the scene of violent riots after Berlusconi won a confidence vote.

Demonstrators, including prostitutes and nuns, carried banners saying: "Berlusconi resign now" while another said "No prostitutes, no Madonnas, just women."

The protests came a week after demonstrators had also attempted to march on Mr Berlusconi's home at Arcore near Milan, where the alleged parties were held, in an attempt to throw knickers into his garden but police prevented them.

Enough!" chanted some of the tens of thousands of protesters who crowded into Rome's Piazza del Popolo square, including many men and entire families, Heraldsun reported.

"We're here to say that Italian women are not all like Berlusconi's prostitutes. It's a horrible image that we're giving. We've become a joke in the rest of the world," said Maria Rosa Veritta, a protester in Milan.

Berlusconi is fighting off allegations that he paid for sex with a 17-year-old prostitute nicknamed Ruby the Heartstealer, real name Karima El Mahroug, and then used the power of his office to try and cover up the crime.

Many of the speakers at the Milan rally criticized the way Berlusconi's sex scandal made Italy look, his behavior towards women and his promoting ex-show girls to high government positions, CNN informs.

This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.

Found an error in the text?

Select the error and press Ctrl + Enter at the same time.

relevant news