Cagliari, tension escalates during the Student Bloc and anti-fascist demonstrations: bottles are thrown, police charge, and use water cannons and tear gas.

Saturday was a high point in Cagliari, with a massive deployment of police forces for the march organised by Blocco Studentesco (in which around a hundred people participated) , a youth movement linked to CasaPound Italia , which called together "young people from the South and the Islands" to the capital and which was opposed by an anti-fascist counter-demonstration (in which around 250 people joined).

The Police Headquarters has prepared an extraordinary security plan to manage the two events, with a massive deployment of officers to prevent the two groups from coming into contact.

To curb attempts to break through the protest, police officers occasionally fired tear gas , sometimes in response to bottles and smoke bombs being thrown. For the first time in Cagliari, the police water cannon was also deployed, spraying water .

Three people were arrested (and later released) during a charge to prevent the anti-fascist procession from approaching the opposing group.

A MOMENT-BY-MOMENT REPORT OF THE DAY (by Matteo Vercelli)

7:20 PM – Anti-fascists in Piazza Garibaldi – The anti-fascist march has reached Piazza Garibaldi, under constant surveillance. The judicial authorities are examining the whereabouts of not only those taken to the police station, but also those of the others: they participated in an unauthorized march, even displaying resistance. These incidents will be further evaluated using footage from the DIGOS (Special Operations Unit) and forensic science teams, who followed the entire march step by step.

19 – Detainees released – After identification procedures, the detainees—three people—were released and rejoined the other anti-fascist protesters, gathered outside the police headquarters. The group then headed back toward Piazza Garibaldi.

6:45 PM: The march regroups and marches toward the Police Headquarters – The anti-fascist march has regrouped and is moving toward Piazza Repubblica, toward the Police Headquarters, where some of the protesters arrested during the clashes on Via Lanusei are believed to be being taken.

5:50 PM: Police clash and charge on Via Lanusei – After using water cannons and smoke bombs, police charged anti-fascist protesters between Via Sonnino and Via Lanusei. Some people were detained by officers. Protesters are demanding the release of those detained.

5:20 PM: Student Block March Returns to Piazza Ramelli – The Student Block march returned to Piazza Ramelli after having passed through Via Dante, Via Tola, and Via Satta. Unable to continue along Via Sonnino, the group regrouped in front of Piazza Repubblica.

5:15 PM: New anti-fascist-police confrontation – At the beginning of Via Dante, in front of the Bonaria cemetery, a new confrontation took place between the anti-fascist marcher and the police.

5:05 PM: The Blocco Studentesco march is moving along Via Grazia Deledda toward Piazza Repubblica. About a hundred protesters are marching.

5:00 PM: Fire hose in action on Via Barone Rossi – The march is once again attempting to reach Piazza Repubblica via Via Barone Rossi. Law enforcement officers have fired a fire hose at the protesters, and tear gas and smoke canisters have been fired to contain the crowd.

4.40pm: Heading for Viale Bonaria – The procession is moving down Viale Regina Margherita towards Via Roma, before continuing towards Viale Bonaria.
4:30 PM: Tension at the end of Via Lanusei: fire hydrant in action – The march attempted again to pass the end of Via Lanusei, but police imposed a roadblock. The fire hydrant was activated, and bottles and smoke bombs were thrown. The march is now moving up Via Lanusei toward the opposite end of Via Sonnino.

4.20pm: Procession deviates towards San Saturnino – The procession was heading down Via Iglesias, initially headed towards the Carabinieri legion, but it deviated and continued straight towards the San Saturnino area.

4:10 PM: The unauthorized anti-fascist march is crossing Via Garibaldi. A police helicopter is monitoring the area from above, while security forces are patrolling the surrounding streets to prevent the protesters from reaching Piazza Repubblica, where the meeting organized by CasaPound is scheduled. Approximately 250 people are present.

(Unioneonline)