ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)<br/> <br />Demonstrators protesting against a planned high-speed rail link between France and northern Italy scuffled with police Wednesday near the French embassy in Rome.<br/> <br />A protester in a wheelchair appeared to diffuse scuffles momentarily.<br/> <br />Supporters of anti high-speed rail movement "No-Tav", many wearing motorbike helmets, faced-off against riot police in one of Rome's narrow central streets close to the French embassy.<br/> <br />Over the past years demonstrators have clashed with police on various occasions over the train line, meant to run from France, through Italy, to eastern Europe.<br/> <br />The demonstrators say two motorways and a railway line already run through the Susa valley in the far north of Italy and the additional high-speed railway would damage the environment.<br/> <br />France and Italy signed a deal in 2001 to build the high-speed TAV line and open a more modern, faster transport link between the two countries.
