More than 70 injured in Italy rail protests

Thousands of people joined initially peaceful marches in the Susa valley, near Turin, to try to prevent the building of a tunnel they say would damage the environment.

But scuffles broke out at several points along the boundaries of the construction area, injuring more than 70 police officers, several protesters and a site worker, following injuries in similar clashes earlier this week.

Police arrested at least five people and used teargas in an attempt to disperse hundreds of protesters near the enclosure, although some managed to breach the site fences.

"It's a civil war," blogger Beppe Grillo said, describing the protesters as heros, while several political leaders condemned the violence and green groups distanced themselves.

France and Italy signed a deal in 2001 to build the high-speed line and open a more modern, faster transport link between two of Europe's biggest economies.

Villagers in the valley have strongly opposed the 15-billion-euro ($21.3 billion) project, which is supported by the government and the local administration.

The movement opposing high-speed rail has grown beyond the local area, winning support from a range of groups, from anarchists to Catholics.

Police said many of the people involved in the clashes on Sunday were exploiting the rally as an opportunity for violence and several had come from abroad.

($1 = 0.705 Euros)

(Reporting by Fabio Ceschel, writing by Catherine Hornby; Editing by Elizabeth Fullerton)