The head of the demo has now reached the end of the 13km long route. The 40,000 strong CGIL (left wing trade union) bloc - that will close the march - is still waiting in Pzza Indipendenza while thousands of people are still at Fortezza da Basso and more special trains are arriving in Florence.
Positive response from the local citizens who cheers at the demo and hanged banners and white bedsheets from their windows. More and more are taking the streets themselves sometimes joining the march. A bakery distributed free bread.
Local activists estimate that up to 500,000 people are in the streets.