Italians protest against NATO's military satellite
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People gathered near a border station between Austria and Italy on April 24, 2016, to protest against planned border controls.
Hundreds of people have taken to the streets in Italy to protest against a NATO military communications satellite system, which they say is harmful to human health.
According to media reports, the protests started on Sunday after a court ruled that the military’s Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) is not harmful to humans.
"No to NATO, no to Imperialism," protesters chanted as they carried banners in denunciation of the decision.
The court’s ruling provoked anger among local residents who fear about the satellite’s effects on those living nearby.
The ground communications system supports a worldwide, multi-service population of users through a narrowband.
The US Department of Defense uses the system, which improves ground communication between different parts of the army and navy.
Italy put on a halt the construction of the facility in 2013 due to concerns about health risks and environmental damage from radio waves.
Elsewhere in the country, activists and refugees held protests against authorities’ attitudes towards refugees arriving in the country.
The protests in the northern town of Ventimiglia were met with heavy presence of police and security forces.
The demonstrators protested against government attempts to prevent refugees from entering the country from north, thorough the Austrian border.
Nearly 27,000 refugees and asylum seekers have reached Italy by boat so far this year, most of them setting out from Libya.
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