Italians storm a military base in Sicily

Revolt against America : Italians storm a military base in Sicily

Aufstand gegen Amerika: Italiener stürmen Militärbasis in Sizilie

Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten,

26 November, 2014

Via Google Transalte

About 1,000 people took part in the protests against the American presence in Sicily . The police had to intervene with tear gas. Several 100 protesters stormed a US military base in Sicily . On the site of the radar for US satellite system is operated.

For years, there are regular demonstrations of its citizens against the US presence in their country. Mainly it's about various NATO or military bases. On Friday there was now in Sicily large protests. In the south of the island, in Niscemi, located on a military base for the US radar and transmission facilities of the new satellite communication system Mobile User Objective System (MUOS). 

The radar system is not complete yet, only two of six satellites, for example, are completed and in orbit.About 1,000 people were therefore marched on Friday to the military base. The protesters No MUOS criticize that the satellite communication system MUOS world peace, the environment and the health of the local population threatened, reported the Italian newspaper Gazzetta of Sud. They demand an immediate halt to the work on the military base. In the course of Friday stormed about 100 people, the military base - they tore down the fence and broke into the premises. Nine protesters climbed addition to the antennas inside the military base. Earlier, the police had tried to keep away the demonstrators with tear gas from the plant, the Italian news agency Ansa.

Also in March and April there had been several demonstrations of the movement No MUOS, as can be seen on the website of the organization. Italy's defense minister says, however, that the system is "essential for NATO operations in the Mediterranean and thus also for the national security."

The satellite dishes have a diameter of about 20 meters. 2001, there was a bilateral agreement between the United States and Italy, that still signed the then Prime Minister Berlusconi. 2006 under Prodi, it was then ratified. Since then, the construction is proceeding on the island.