Clashes overshadow Italy's Milan Expo opening
Fierce clashes have erupted between Italian police and opponents of Milan Expo 2015 after officers fired tear gas at people protesting Milan's hosting of the first global fair since Shanghai five years ago.
Thick clouds of smoke filled parts of the center of Milan on Friday as stone-throwing, masked protesters smashed windows and torched several cars and rubbish bins to block streets.
Around 30,000 people took to the streets of the city for the 'No Expo May Day Parade' on the day of the opening of the Expo 2015 in Milan. Thousands of police had been deployed ahead of the event to counter the threat of violence.
Water cannons were used to tackle blazes, including one at a bank branch.
The Italian government had been hoping that the six-month-long event would bolster the country’s international standing and give a boost to its struggling economy.
Opponents, however, accused authorities of wasting public funds as Italy plunges deeper into economic crisis. They also maintained that the event would benefit the corporations, rather than the country itself.
Speaking at the expo’s opening ceremony, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi expressed confidence that Milan and Italy had defied the critics who had said they would never be ready in time.
"They said we would never do it, but today the Expo is a reality," Renzi said, adding, "Today, it is as though Italy is embracing the world. All you experts who kept saying 'We'll never do it' -- this is your answer. I like to think that tomorrow begins today.”
Over the past decade, Italy has been the slowest-growing economy in the eurozone as tough austerity measures, including spending cuts and pension reforms, have stirred serious concerns for many people in the country.
Italians have been staging protests against high unemployment, economic adversity and hardship over the government austerity packages in recent years.
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