The Shutterzone: The Comunistas Are Coming!

Last year my wife and I were going back to our hotel in Rome when I heard a loud ruckus down the street in the Plazza della Repubblica. She went on to the room while I continued on to do some hard-hitting news photography. (Or at least practice for a few minutes.) I didn't have a clue what was going on other than there being a lot of red flags pointed in the air and Guns N' Roses music barring at full blast. It looked like a grand ole time.

I don't read or speak Italian, but I can make out a hammer and sickle emblem when I see one and reading "Comunista" on the flags--well, it wasn't hard to put two and two together. It was a rally/strike for the Communist Refoundation Party. I don't know what they were trying to "refound" but it seemed like a great excuse for all the subway workers to go on strike, take an extended smoke break, and parade around to Paradise City. Maybe they didn't understand the American lyrics any more than I understood Italian, but I've yet to see any communist city I would associate with mental images curiosity of Axl Rose. I suppose they were thining, "Guns and roses... hammers and sickles... Hey! We have a theme song!"