Thousands march in rival far-right, anti-fascist protests in Italy

Tens of thousands of people marched in rival far-right and anti-fascist demonstrations across Italy on Saturday, with isolated clashes erupting as tensions threatened to boil over ahead of next weekend's election.

Police estimated that between 15,000 and 20,000 people attended a campaign rally in Milan led by Matteo Salvini, the head of anti-immigration group The League, which said the number was more like 50,000.

The group, formerly known as the Northern League, is part of ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing coalition, which opinion polls suggest is leading ahead of the March 4 election.

"Italians first," Salvini, who hopes become the country's next leader, told the crowd.

Violence briefly broke out at another Milan demonstration, with police in riot gear briefly grappling with anti-fascist protests marching in reaction to a rally by the neo-fascist CasaPound movement.

There has been a dramatic uptick in violent incidents between anti-fascist and far-right activists in recent weeks, and more than 3,000 police were mobilised for demonstrations in Rome on Saturday.

However the biggest march in the Italian capital remained calm, with a sea of red and green union flags waving in the cold rain.

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