Violence breaks out over Italy trash crisis

A firefighter extinguishes burning rubbish in a street in central Naples in this file picture.

Tensions remained high Saturday after a night of clashes between police and protesters furious at Italian government plans to dump mountains of uncollected trash from Naples in their towns.

Police in riot gear watched but did not intervene Saturday when a protester threw what appeared to be a firebomb near the town of Chiaiano, a suburb of Naples. Demonstrators also hurled cans and other garbage at police.

The site near Chiaiano is one of 10 selected by Premier Silvio Berlusconi's new government to receive some of the tons of stinking garbage piled up in Naples and surrounding areas.

Police and protesters clashed overnight after authorities tried to move an empty bus that demonstrators used to block a road leading to the planned dump site.

Several injuries were reported on both sides. Police arrested three people, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

Earlier this week, Berlusconi led a Cabinet meeting in Naples to show that his government was serious about tackling Naples' garbage problem. He pledged to deploy the military to protect the dump sites.

Naples' latest garbage crisis began in December when trash collectors said they had run out of dump sites.

The recurring problem is blamed on decades of poor local government, residents' resistance to new dump sites or incinerators and what authorities say is organized crime's infiltration of the trash business.

With summer approaching, the stench of garbage piled up on sidewalks and piazzas has become overpowering, and Italy's tourist industry is worried it will hurt business.

But local leaders vowed to thwart the national government's plans to move the rubbish to dumps in their areas.

"I won't give up easily," ANSA quoted Marano mayor Salvatore Perrotta as saying. Marano is situated next to the planned Chiaiano dump. Perrotta said he would wage a legal battle to try to prevent it opening.