Italian earthquake survivors march ahead of G8 summit

Hundreds of survivors of the April 6 earthquake marched overnight Monday through the ruined city of L'Aquila — where leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized nations were to gather for a summit this week.

The 6.3-magnitude earthquake in central Italy killed about 300 people, forced tens of thousands from their homes, and levelled entire blocks in the mountain city as well as the surrounding Abruzzo region.

Families of students who were killed in a collapsed university dormitory headed the torch-lit procession held to mark the quake's three-month anniversary. It paused for silence in the main square at 3:32 a.m. local time, which is the time that the earthquake struck.

Marchers carried banners that said "Truth and Justice," referring to the shoddy construction that caused many of the building collapses and prompted a criminal investigation.

Thousands of homeless residents still live in tents, and aftershocks continue to hit the area daily, including a powerful one on Friday that sent residents running from their homes and offices.

Monday's march was not directly related to the G8 summit opening Wednesday just outside the city, organizers said.

Premier Silvio Berlusconi moved the summit from the Sardinian island of La Maddalena to L'Aquila to draw attention to the area's plight.

However, some survivors were unhappy with the decision, fearing the event would divert resources away from reconstruction efforts.

Several protests against the G8 are planned across Italy, including one in L'Aquila on Friday, when the summit ends.