Italian police convicted over treatment of activists
The court confirmed the convictions of 15 prison guards, doctors and police officers, and overturned the prior acquittals of a further 29 police staff, all on duty at a temporary detention centre in the suburb of Bolzaneto where 200 people were detained in the days following the protests.
Myself and many others, arrested during a raid on a building the night after protests ended, were beaten, kicked, forced to stand spreadeagled against a wall and generally given a hard time while held at the detention centre. Some of the detainees were threatened with rape and other violence, and made to repeat fascist slogans and songs.
Police also made foreign detainees sign documents written in Italian stating that they did not wish lawyers or embassy staff to be contacted, and did not require translators as they spoke Italian.
Those convicted received sentences of up to five years in prison, but due to the mind-boggling innefficency of state systems, and the Italian government's statute of limitations, which places a time limit on convictions, it is unlikely that any will serve time.
The demonstrations in 2001 opposed the G8 summit held in Genoa that year. Hundreds of thousands of people took part and were met by riot police, tanks, armoured cars, helicopters and enough tear gas to fill the Graf Zeppelin three times over.*
Genoa, once the centre of a bustling maritime city-state, is now a rather scruffy port city with lovely old buildings, fine food – particularly the pesto – and lots of charming old alleyways with small shops.
Sam Buchanan
* I made this bit up, but there was lots and lots of tear gas.
