12 people injured during protests in northern Italy

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA

Ten students and two police officers were injured Friday during protests against a far-right leader’s planned rally in northern Italy.

According to Italian news agency ANSA, around 100 leftist students reportedly gathered at Galvani square in Bologna to protest Forza Nuova leader Roberto Fiore's scheduled rally Friday evening.

The first clash left four students and a police officer injured.

The students were pushed out of the square with "several baton charges by police in riot gear", ANSA reported.

During a second clash later in the day, more people were injured, including a police officer, according to Italian daily La Repubblica.

The newspaper reported that the protesters numbered 1,000 when the second clash took place.

Italians will vote in parliamentary elections on March 4 and the far-right Forza Nuova party will also be contesting the polls.

Italy last held a general election in 2013. Since then, the center-left Democratic Party has governed the country under three different prime ministers: Enrico Letta, Matteo Renzi and incumbent Paolo Gentiloni.

*Ecenur Colak from Rome contributed to this story.