Police Attack Anti-Border Fence Protest in Italy

According to the Austrian police, at least 600 protesters participated in the protest, and 300 officers were deployed to the Brenner rail station who didn’t intervene, since the protest was held on the Italian side of the border, Telesur reported.

Officials say this is the third violent demonstration at the Brenner Pass in just over a month.

Two police officers were hurt and 10 demonstrators were held by police, according to the Italian forces.

Italians protested the new plan announced by Austria to build a fence, even though Brenner Pass is part of Europe’s Schengen zone, a borderless area and a route for migrants seeking to reach Northern Europe.

Italian newspapers claimed the demonstration was organized by a local anarchist group expected to attract people from other countries.

As many as a million migrants were poised to cross the Mediterranean from Libya this year, according to Austrian Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotk.