Thousands March in Rome to Protest Workplace Vaccine Rule
Demonstrators clash with anti-riot police officers during a protest against the obligation of green pass in Rome, Italy, on Oct. 9, 2021.
Photographer: Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu Agency/BloombergRome (AP) -- Thousands of demonstrators marched down Rome's famous Via Veneto and other streets on Saturday, some smashing their way into a union office and clashing with police as they protested Italy's new “Green Pass” vaccination requirement for employees to enter their offices.
The certification is mandatory beginning on Oct. 15 and applies to public and private workplaces. Both employees and employers risk fines if they don’t comply. Public sector workers can be suspended if they show up five times without a Green Pass. The pass is already required in Italy to enter museums, theaters, gyms and indoor restaurants, as well as to take long-distance trains and buses or domestic flights.