ROME, Oct 5: Thousands of anti-war demonstrators took to the streets of Rome and several other major Italian cities including Milan, Bologna, Venice and Florence on Saturday to protest US plans for war on Iraq.

Organizers said between 10,000 and 15,000 demonstrators turned out in the capital waving anti-war banners and slogans in support of the Palestinians, and singing songs of Italian World War II anti-Fascist partisan fighters.

About 100 activists besieged the British consulate in Venice, chanting: “We say no to the logic of war. Let’s disobey and desert!”

British Honorary Consul, Ivor Neil Coward, received a delegation who asked him to make their views known to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, President George W. Bush’s most enthusiastic European supporter of a hard line on Iraq.

The right-wing Italian government of Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has also come out strongly in favour of tough action against Iraq.

Other major European states including France and Germany have been much more reserved.

Saturday’s demonstrations followed a mass turnout of an estimated 100,000 a week ago in Rome in protest against the prospect of war against Iraq.

In Florence, demonstrators estimated at between 5,000 and 10,000 chanted anti-Bush slogans during a march organized by the anti-globalization umbrella group Social Forum.

The US authorities on Friday advised their nationals to stay away from anti-war protests in Italy, saying there could be violence.

Crowds also demonstrated in Milan, saying they were against war under any conditions.

Some 3,000 also demonstrated in Cagliari on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia.

A group of Italian non-governmental organisations representing 14,000 volunteers in 80 countries said some 80 per cent of Italians were opposed to war against Iraq. Demonstrations also occurred in Switzerland with some 2,000 marching through Geneva.—AFP