VERONA, ITALY – Hundreds rallied through Verona’s streets hours before the Winter Olympics closing ceremony, decrying soaring housing costs and environmental damage from the Games in a protest dubbed “Olympics? No thanks.
“Organized by university groups and associations, demonstrators accused the event of ravaging forests, concreting fragile terrain, and widening inequality ahead of the 8:30 p.m. spectacle in the ancient Roman arena. Activist Giannina Dal Bosco, 76, declared: “We’re defending our land from speculation and impossible event prices,” citing 400-euro closing ceremony tickets; a banner demanded: “Fewer Games for the few, more homes for everyone.
“Francesca, 34, from nearby Vicenza, blasted “concrete monstrosities” like the bobsleigh track as wasteful public spending better suited for flood defenses and housing, with some wearing keffiyehs and waving Palestinian flags. The two-hour march stayed outside security from 16th-century Porta Palio to 19th-century Arsenal Square, echoing a violent 10,000-strong Milan opener.