By now, every aspect of city life in Vicenza is touched by the ever growing military presence in town.

We got used to it of course, almost without realising it. Since childhood, many of us have seen Camp Ederle as a common part of Vicenza, like Monte Berico, the Station, Corso Palladio.

We got so used to it that we almost failed to notice how, year after year, Camp Ederle base was enlargedarged, eating up land our right in front of us. Camp Ederle doubled in size and the buildings got bigger, and taller. And now we witness another round of growing volumes of town space occupied by a foreign military.

And it doesn't stop there. We also witnessed the gradual growth of "Villaggio della Pace", the ironic name given to the ever growing neighbourhood where the US military lives, near the centre of our town.

For many of us, american cars with "AFI" plates were normal, just like we know now - when we see a car with a "ZA ...." plate - it is likely to have an american driver.

We are used to US soldiers jogging in the streets. And used to meeting US soldiers in everything we do. And we almost stopped noticing them. Almost

For a long period of time we tollerated (with some protests) the noisy sound of the helicopters' rotors, a noise that will soon be heard more frequently unless we stop it, now.

At a certain point, after months and months of drunkenness on "Dal Molin", not forgetting Pluto - Fontega - San Rocco - COESPU - AFRICOM ... and trying to reason with the local government and with the national government, it feels like we have reached the limits of our tolerance. We will not tolerate all this any more.

When you start to feel that the U.S. military presence is bothering even the fresh early morning walk, you start to say: "Hold on a minute, what's going on? We must say STOP IT". This is why the spontaneous early morning protests of citizens around Monte Berico, as already experienced a few months ago, has come back.

The need to give them a clear message that comes from deep inside:

"U.S. soldiers, this is for you: GO HOME".

U.S. citizens did something similar with the British 233 years ago. Fed up with tolerating the every day presence of a military might that was foreign to the American citizens of that time, the sent ALL British troops home, and declared independence.

We now claim the same right. We are past tolerating US military forces in our town. We declare independence from the US military, Now!