1.
GV PULL BACK LV Marchers massed, ready to leave Perugia.
0.11

2.
SV Marchers, painted faces and banners, dancing, anti-US placard.
0.29

3.
GV Marchers with long banner on country road to Assisi.
0.40

4.
LV PAN Marchers with banners on country road.
0.54

5.
SV Marchers with anti-nuclear posters.
1.01

6.
TOP VIEW Marchers arriving Assisi. PAN houses.
1.18

7.
SV Iranian marchers with anti-Khomeini posters, chanting slogans.
1.36




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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: INTRODUCTION: More than 50,000 people marched for peace and nuclear disarmament in central Italy on sunday (27 September). It was the biggest demonstration of its kind seen in the country for many years.

SYNOPSIS: Pacifists, youth groups and trades union members assembled for the march in Perugia, about 130 kilometres (80 miles) north of Rome.

The day before, a personal message arrived from Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev, saying there was no weapon his country was not ready to limit, to prohibit, in reciprocal stages while observing the principles of equilibrium and security.

The destination was a medieval town 25 kilometres (25 miles) away, famous as the birthplace of the Christian Saint, St. Francis of Assisi.

Rain fell for most of the march over winding country roads, but those taking part were not unduly affected. Lending an international flavour to the occasion were Red Indians from the United States. Another group had come from Iran, expressing opposition to Ayatollah Khomeini's regime.

Many marchers stopped for rest and food in the small town of Santa Maria Degli Angeli before completing the second stage, which took them on to these narrow streets and alleys in one of Italy's most famous towns.

It was in Assisi the anti-Khomeini demonstrators, armed with posters and placards highly critical of the state of turmoil in Iran, began to make themselves heard. They staged a highly vocal end to yet another European march against the arms-race.