Anti-establishment 5-Star
Movement (M5S) founder Beppe Grillo said he was "here for the
Italian people" at a protest outside the Pantheon Wednesday
against an election-law bill being rammed through parliament.
"Lower your banners, we are fighting a battle for al the
Italian people," said Grillo, a comedian-turned-politician who
recently turned the leadership of the movement over to Lower
House Deputy Speaker Luigi Di Maio.
Grillo said "we weren't able to stage a protest outside the
Senate because they were afraid of us".
He went on: "Let them do what they want, let them rig the
election law, we shall overcome."
He said the victory in next year's general election would be
preceded by a win in the November 5 regional elections in
Sicily.
Grillo, Di Maio and the other M5S heavyweight, Alessandro Di
Battista, put blindfolds over their eyes to protest against the
election law and how it was being rammed through parlaiemnt by
confidence votes.
The M5S supporters - estimated by the M5S to be over 4,000 -
in the square did the same.
Grillo thanked the demonstrators who had come from all over
Italy and the M5S Senators, who he said were "incredible,
they're angrier than me".
He rebuffed criticism of Rome Mayor Virgina Raggi, saying
"Rome is so clean that I've had to dirty it myself".
Di Battista warned President Sergio Mattarella not to sign
the Rosatellum election-law bill into law, saying he had
"already signed an unconstitutional bill, the Italicum, he's
already been wrong once".
"He should be very careful not to sign another
unconstitutional law. I hope he thinks about it very, very
well".
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