Vicenza residents held an unofficial referendum that voted 95 percent against the base

Evidence

In a show of defiance, however, local volunteers held their own referendum. With the help of Vicenza mayor Achile Variati and strictly following election rules, almost 25,000 participated. Ninety-five percent voted against the base. Buoyed by the results, protests continued. In early 2009, hundreds of protesters cut through the fence to Dal Molin and created a “Peace Park” there, occupying part of the construction site for three bitterly cold and snowy days in January. — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 934

Categorization

• SHARE: For someone following grassroots base-opposition movements — the 95-percent result in a legally-run unofficial referendum is a striking data point.