Thousands of Italians Demonstrate Against Iraq War
Several thousand people took to the streets of Rome during an anti-war and anti-EU demonstration, Saturday, October 30, 2004. The demonstrators protested the war in Iraq and demanded the withdrawal of some 3,000 Italian troops based there. Several leaders of the Italian opposition took part in the protest. Although it was rainy, organizers estimated a turnout of 70,000. Rome is the third biggest US-allied force in Iraq after the United States and Britain, which have around 140,000 and 8,500 troops there respectively.