Occupy Rome turns into a war zone--70 injured (Video)

Helicopters hovered, smoke plumes rose and tear gas flooded the air as violence broke out in Rome at the Occupy Wall Street protest on Saturday when the movement experienced its first day around the globe.

Apparently the saying, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," is true, as a couple hundred thousand demonstators showed up for the protest.

Fighting for social justice and attempting to end corporate greed proved to be quite a battle: one reporter said it was like being in a "war-zone," as thousands ran in the streets to get away from the violence and tear gas, according to Bikyamasr.

In the most extreme case of unrest Rome has experienced in decades, rioters fought police by tearing up cobble stones and tossing bombs of petrol while chanting "Killers, killers, killers." Some buildings were torched while storefronts, shops and banks were destroyed by a few of the angry protesters turned rioters.

Word has it, the demonstration actually started out peaceful but became out-of-control when more than three dozen men torched SUVs on the parade route, broke a bank's windows and lit flags on fire outside a hotel.

Some believe the rioters were from a movement called the "Black Bloc" who claim to be anarchist militants with extreme far-left beliefs.

"It's been completely hijacked by these violent factions, and the police are nervous, and the situation is very tense," Barbie Nadeau, a Newsweek correspondent, told CNN. "I myself saw at least -- I would say -- a dozen people who probably needed some hospitalization or some care -- some stitches certainly."

The mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, said the outbreak of vandalism and violence was due to "a few thousand thugs from all over Italy, and possibly from all over Europe, who infiltrated the demonstration."

The latest update is that at least 70 people were injured in Rome, and 40 of those were police officers.

Around 82 countries were involved in the Oct. 15 protest in 950 cities across the planet.

Tweet:

JulesRiches 200,000 occupy rome. 350,000 occupy spain. Apparently, today the movement has officially been declared a "worldwide revolution."

Related report:

Occupy goes around the globe--Sydney, Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong

Facebook pages of Occupy the World:

Occupy the World

Occupy Taiwan

Occupy Sydney

Occupy Together

Occupy Central Hong Kong