Thousands of Italians have taken to the streets in a show of solidarity with migrants and in a move to defy government policies in the midst of the G-8 meeting.

People in the capital Rome walked out on Saturday toward the secured assembly venue of the group of eight richest countries in order to show their objection to the government's latest anti-immigrants initiatives.

The demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans and toted banners denouncing both the G-8 ministerial summit on security, immigration and terrorism and recent Italian government's bid to incarcerate and heavily fine illegal immigrants and their aides.

"We are against the security package, and we will try to dismantle and destroy it even after the 30th of May and after the G8 summit," a protestor said.

Marchers also voiced their resentment about the 'fascistic' immigration regulations in the country.

Legislators in the Italian parliament lately endorsed a security package including tough immigration laws which criminalize illegal migration and penalize culprits with high fines.

They also allowed urban and country authorities to set up local citizen patrols in order to monitor migrant activities. Furthermore, they introduced penal codes requiring civil servants to pass information on illegal immigrant suspects to officials.

Critics have blasted the law advanced by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, likening it to the World War II Fascist Italy under former Premier Mussolini.

ARQN/DT