ROME, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- The leaders of Italy's anti-austerity "Pitchfork" protest movement have split over whether to proceed with a planned sit-in protest in Rome this week.
A statement issued over the weekend by the leaders of the umbrella coordinating group the December 9 Committee disassociated the Forconi, or Pitchforks, from a planned, 40,000-strong Wednesday protest event at Rome's Piazza del Popolo for fear of infiltration by right-wing extremists who could provoke violence.
Italy last week was hit by a wave of protests bringing together traditional rivals of the left and right in an angry expression of opposition to the austerity measures of the government of Prime Minister Enrico Letta, especially austerity-driven tax hikes.
Pitchfork leaders Mariano Ferro of Sicily and Lucio Chiavegato of Venice issued a statement distancing themselves from another leader, Danilo Calvani of the group's farming wing, who separately insisted the protest would go on despite opposition from city leaders who have vowed they will not allow a long-term occupation of the square during the busy Christmas shopping season.
The move came after a Saturday incident at the European Union offices in Rome, where Simone Di Stefano, a leader of the right-wing militant group Casa Pound, was arrested for attempting to remove the EU flag from the building.
In the wake of that incident, Ferro and Chiavegato said in the Saturday statement they are urging Forconi supporters to avoid the Piazza del Popolo Wednesday, indicating they are concerned it could be hijacked by extremists.
"We declare that the demonstration called for on December 18 in Rome is not recognized by us for reasons of organization and possible public order," the statement read.
"We fear that there may be infiltrators and that the peaceful demonstration may turn into something far from our intention," Ferro told the Adnkronos news agency. "We are convinced by what has happened [Saturday] that cross-organizations could create unrest. We cannot risk getting involved in similar situations, and also a [long-term camp at the piazza] could be a dangerous fuse.
"There is a right wing in this country who would like to exploit the protest and we cannot allow either the right or to the left to do that."
Instead, the Forconi leaders said another event would be organized, possibly for later in the week.
In an interview with the daily La Repubblica, Ferro also indicated he would be willing to talk with the government over ways to end in the protests, in which demonstrators have denounced the Italian political class for being out of touch with the plight of citizens hit hard by the belt-tightening.
"Let's sit down with the government," he said. "If the government has the solutions we will listen. I believe they do not, but I will not give leave to Letta to say that we are just troublemakers.
"I want to sit down with the government, then you can decide. And if it has no solution, then there is no reason to keep talking."
Calvani, meanwhile, reiterated the Wednesday protest would go on, while promising it would remain peaceful.
"I'll be in piazza also to ensure that there are no riots," he said. "It will not be a violent or uncivil protest."
He also promised there would be no long-term camps at square.
