Thousands of people have marched in Messina, Sicily, to protest a government plan to build a bridge connecting the Italian mainland with Sicily.

Residents are opposed to the bridge over its scale, earthquake threats, environmental effect, and mafia interference.

The Strait of Messina Bridge would connect Sicily to the rest of Italy over a 2-mile stretch. It's expected to cost 13.5 billion euros ($15.7 billion), which Italy's Presidency of the Council of Ministers says will be completely funded by the public and has already been accounted for in the 2024 and 2025 budget.