Italian Women Lead Grassroots Campaign Against US Military Base

“Please tell your people that we are not anti-American,” she insisted. “Look at me. My clothes are American, the music I love is American. Even my boots are American Eagle. But we want to relate to Americans through culture and music, not military bases and war.”   Most of the protesters were, in fact, angrier at their own government than they were at the United States. They feel betrayed by Prime Minister Romano Prodi. Prodi’s position has divided his own government. The communists and Greens, both members of the government coalition, supported the march, as did individual Senators from other coalition parties.

All were furious when Prodi, on the very day of the march, insisted that the mobilization would not affect his decision. “They dye has been cast and the decision will stand,” he said. But unlike here in the U.S., where mass mobilizations go unreported in the press and ignored by the politicians, the Italian march made front-page news throughout the country and will undoubtedly have an impact on the political scene. Organizer Patrizia Cammarata was fired up as she talked about future plans. “This is just the beginning. We’ll boycott businesses working with the base, we’ll call strikes, we’ll block construction. Prodi better understand that Vicenza has support from all over the country. We no matter what he says, we will keep saying ‘NO’ to the base. Cinzia Bottene, addressing the crowd at the end of the march, said, “I am very proud of my city today. We have shown the true spirit of Vicenza. I hope that Prodi will be smart enough to listen to the people and change his mind. That would not be a sign of weakness, but the sign of a good leader, for we, the people, will not give up.” 

Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CODEPINK: Women for Peace and Global Exchange, was in Italy for the anti-base protest. If you would like to help this effort, including bringing the Italian women to Washington DC to plead their case, contact her at medea@globalexchange.org