American plans of expanding its military base in the city of Vicenza has been met with heavy resistance from the local population who held a peaceful rally protesting against the expansion.

Tens of thousands of Italians poured onto the streets of Vicenza making their feelings clear to Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who has approved the expansion plans. Prodi appealed for peaceful protests while the US embassy warned Americans to avoid the city for the time being.

Organizers of the protests said that it was attended by over 100,000 people, who were accompanied all the time by 40,000 policemen. Anti-American slogans were waved throughout the march with banners reading "America, No Thanks" and "Bases Go Home".

Organizers had set up special trains and buses for protestors to attend the rally from all over the country. The centre-right opposition Forza Italia party jumped on the opportunity to saying that Prodi should resign as even the members of his own coalition government took part in the rally.

The Pentagon wants to transfer another 2,000 soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade from Germany to Italy. This would bring the total number of the American troops to 5,000 in a city of 115,000. The base was established more than 50 years ago and provides over 1,000 jobs to the locals in Vicenza.

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