Thousands rally in Rome for press freedom

Tens of thousands of people, including journalists and media rights activists, gathered in a Rome square today to defend press freedom, accusing premier Silvio Berlusconi of trying to silence critical voices.

Mr Berlusconi, a media magnate, has dismissed the accusations as a “joke” and the demonstration as a “farce”. He said this week that there is more press freedom in Italy than in any other Western country.