Defending the Arsenal

Another week, another protest against what appears to many to be yet another blow to Venice's well-being and its ability to control its own future.

The expected transfer of a large part of the Arsenale from the State to the comune of Venezia--towards which the city has been working for some 30 years--has at the last minute been rerouted into the hands of (surprise, surprise) private interests: the Consorzio Venezia Nuova.

The mayor of Venice, Giorgio Orsoni, is not happy about this, nor are the many other Venetians who showed up at the Arsenale yesterday morning to register their disapproval.

And so another struggle begins...

"Viva Venezia! Viva San Marco!"