Thousands of people across the world railed against corporate power, grinding poverty, and government cuts Saturday as the Occupy Wall Street movement spread to the streets of Europe, Asia and Australia.

Protesters marched, listened to speeches, and displayed banners reading anti-corporate slogans, including the now ubiquitous "we are the 99%" "Banks are cancer," and "tax the rich 1%".

The protests took a violent turn in Rome.

Firefighters battled a blaze at an Interior Ministry building near Porta San Giovanni in Rome, the main gathering site of the Italian protesters taking part in the Occupy movement Saturday, eyewitnesses told CNN who reported seeing a Molotov cocktail thrown near the building.

Police said hundreds of anarchists confronted peaceful protesters in Rome where demonstrators had gathered as part of the global Occupy movement.

In London, protester Peter Vaughn, reflecting the mood of many in the crowd there, told CNN people are criticizing financial institutions that have "gambled away our money."

"We're giving people a real voice against a government that just ignored us," he said.

One protester said in Belleville, France, referring to the country's leaders, said government isn't listening to the people and dialogue with them is impossible.

"You are not listening to us, whatever we do, however we vote, however we demonstrate. It does not give any result. Quite the opposite, as poverty and austerity plans continue. So we can't go on like this so we are getting out and showing ourselves," he said.

United for Global Change -- the central site for the movement organizing worldwide protests -- said 951 cities in 82 countries were to take part in the demonstrations after online organizers called for a worldwide rally.

Europeans turned out amid debt troubles and austerity plans in Greece, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Portugal and Germany.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!