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GV Demonstrators with banners marching along road and chanting (2 shots)
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SV Marchers walking in procession, with banner
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GV PAN Marchers with banners, proceeding along road (2 shots)
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GV Demonstrators with placards assembled in square
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CU Speaker PAN TO demonstrators listening
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SV Speaker continues speech
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SV Demonstrators standing behind banners
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Initials BB



TELERECORDING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: INTRODUCTION: In Italy, workers at the Alfa Romeo factory in Milan held a protest march on Thursday (4 June). They were expressing their outrage at the kidnapping of a company executive the previous day.

Signor Renzo Sandrucci, a production manager at Alfa Romeo's Arese plant on the outskirts of the city, was seized by gunmen as he left home for work. Red Brigades guerrillas claimed responsibility for the snatch.

SYNOPSIS: Alfa Romeo workers turned out in force for the protest. By the time of their march and later meeting, police had confirmed the Red Brigades' involvement. Reuters news agency said a document had been found in the Alfa Romeo plant after an anonymous telephone call. The document quoted the Brigades as saying "We captured Sandrucci, and he is undergoing a proletarian trial". Signor Sandrucci's seizure means the Red Brigades are holding three people simultaneously in Italy. A Naples City Councillor, Signor Ciro Cirillo was captured on April the 28th, when two men with him were killed. The Brigades say his "People's Trial" is nearing its close.

The other kidnap victim is Signor Guiseppe Taliercio, a director of the Montedison Chemicals Group plant at Mestre, near Venice. He was captured on May the 20th.

These workers had the impact of terrorism thrust upon them, and reacted strongly. But the kidnappings are said to have caused little stir throughout Italy. Observers say this is so in part because media coverage has been deliberately muted. And even kidnappings have been overshadowed by more sensational news, such as the shooting of Pope John Paul the Second, the spreading P.2 Freemasons' scandal, and latest government crisis.

The Alfa Romeo workers spoke of possible industrial action as part of their protest. And the terrorism did not even pause with the kidnapping of their fellow worker.

The following day (5 June) in a Naples suburb, three masked gunmen shot dead a prison officer, Signor Agostino Battagli.