ROME, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Demonstrators say they will continue protests against a controversial reform plan for Italy's schools despite the plan's approval by parliament Wednesday.
The Italian Senate voted 162-134 in favor of the legislation, which includes stiff spending cuts and a return to single-teacher staffing in elementary classrooms.
The plan sparked protests in Rome and other cities university and high school students who were joined by teachers.
The ANSA news agency said the protests included some fistfights between far-left an far-right activists.
Protest leaders told ANSA they would continue non-violent protests to prevent "the dismantling of the Italian education system." Italy's unions called for a national strike on Thursday.
Premier Silvio Berlusconi said Wednesday that the plan had popular support in Italy and that opposition politicians had been stirring up trouble by spreading "lies and false statements" about it.
