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Italy police clash with anti-immigration protesters

Italian riot police confront protesters in Milan, Italy (file photo).

Clashes have erupted between Italian police and the far right protesters who are against illegal immigration.

The scuffles broke out in the northern city of Brescia on Saturday as the police tried to disperse supporters of the neo-Nazi political party Forza Nuova (New Force).

The protest was organized in response to rival demonstrations by activists and migrants, who have been repeatedly rallying in Brescia to call for migrants’ rights.

The Forza Nuova gathering turned violent when security guards forced the party’s supporters into the urban area of Brescia in an attempt to keep opposing protesters apart.

Security forces had also erected barricades throughout the day and formed lines between the two factions to separate them.

Migrants sit in a boat during a rescue operation by the Italian navy off the coast of Sicily on Nov. 28, 2014.

First formed in 1997, Forza Nuova has been involved in numerous political campaigns that are opposed to illegal immigration.

The party has been criticized for its radical positions.

Over the past few months, Italy has been hit by tensions as the outskirts of its biggest cities have been witnessing street protests against immigration.

According to data released by Istat, the National Institute for Statistics in Italy, immigrants make up eight percent of the European country’s population.

AR/MKA/HMV


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