Thousands protest Turin book fair's Israel theme

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2008

TURIN, Italy (AFP) — Between 3,000 to 4,000 people gathered Saturday to protest against the Turin book fair's decision to showcase Israeli writers, an AFP photographer at the scene said.

"Free Palestine" organisers put the demonstration's attendance at 10,000, while police said 1,500 had turned out to criticise the book fair's choice to highlight 60 years of the Jewish state as its central theme.

"Boycott Israel, support Palestine," read a banner at the head of a cortege heading for the former Fiat factory which is hosting the prestigious booksellers' exhibition, due to end on Monday.

Around 1,000 police were mobilised to shepherd protesters who denounced "the continuing terror and daily raids which have, these last few years, killed 5,050 Palestinians and...