ROME, July 7 (RIA Novosti) - Despite unprecedented security measures, anti-globalists have stepped up their activities ahead of the G8 summit to be held in the Italian city of L'Aquila, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported on Tuesday.
On Tuesday morning a group of young people set car tires alight in an attempt to block traffic in downtown Rome. At the same time, tens of protestors tried to obstruct the Rome-L'Aquila highway to "free the residents of L'Aquila from the G8 invasion."
And in Turin and Bologna protesters took part in a march to demand the release of 21 people arrested in May during a meeting of rectors from the largest G8 universities in Turin.
Some 15,000 police and troops have been brought in to ensure security during the summit. Police have blocked all roads leading to the main venue, a police academy located on the outskirts of the city.
A three-kilometer exclusion zone around the venue has been introduced and roads closed. About a dozen aircraft, including an unmanned surveillance plane, are monitoring the region's airspace.
Italy has also imposed a temporary suspension on Schengen visa-free travel to prevent anti-globalists from other European countries from entering the country.
