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Protestors blow whistle on Berlusconi premiership
AFP - Sunday, February 13
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Protestors blow whistle on Berlusconi premiership
ROME (AFP) - – Silvio Berlusconi faced a clamour from the streets of Rome on Saturday to follow Hosni Mubarak's example and resign as Italy's leader, as hundreds of protestors blew time on his premiership.
The demonstrators struggled to be heard at times amid the din from blowing of whistles and banging of cooking saucepans during the rally in the centre of the capital, aimed at heaping more pressure on the beleaguered Berlusconi.
But they did manage to break into song at one point, with a rendition of "Bella Ciao", one of the anthems of the Italian resistance during World War II.
Others chanted "Resign! Resign! Resign!" and "After Mubarak, Silvio Berlusconi" during the protest which was held only hours after Egypt's veteran president quit in the wake of mass streets protests in Cairo.
The rally in Rome comes at the end of a week which saw prosecutors request an immediate trial of the 74-year-old prime minister over allegations that he paid for sex with an under-age girl and abused his power.
Saturday's protest was organised by a group of bloggers which have been dubbed themselves the "Purple People" and were behind a "No Berlusconi Day" in December 2009.
"We have come out onto the streets to defend our beloved constitution which defends us from abuse of power and makes us all equal before the law," said Gianfranco Mascia, one of the coordinators.
"We have come to reestablish, through our efforts and sacrifice, the democracy that we have lost."
Prosecutors in Milan have called for an immediate trial of Berlusconi on the basis of allegations that the premier paid for sex with a nightclub dancer known as "Ruby the Heartbreaker", who was 17 at the time.
They also allege that Berlusconi improperly used his power by asking police to release her after she had been arrested for suspected theft in May.
Using the services of prostitutes is not a crime in Italy, but paying for sex with a girl under the age of 18 is illegal. Berlusconi has denied ever paying for sex, let alone with Ruby, who only turned 18 in November 2010.
The Italian leader also claims he did not abuse his power when he told police to release Ruby, because he wrongly believed she was Mubarak's niece.
Berlusconi's government has given a cool reception to Mubarak's departure and the prime minister broke with other Western leaders earlier this month by coming out strongly in favour of Mubarak's continued tenure.
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