Verdicts in for the Genoa 10: guilty

July 15, 2012 Italy Calling

 The Italian High Court confirmed on Friday 13th July the sentences for the 10 activists on trial for crimes of “devastation and looting” during the G8 summit in Genoa in 2001. While some of the sentences have been slightly reduced, all 10 activists have been declared guilty of devastation and looting crimes against private property (for a little historical insight on this charge have a look at my previous article).

It’s the State that devastates, it’s the Capital that loots: everyone free!

Five of the defendants have been granted right to appeal against other related charges, and their cases will be re-examined by the judges. The other five have seen all appeals rejected and are going to be imprisoned within the next few days; the first, Alberto Funaro, a historical editor of the activist radio Radio Onda Rossa, entered Rebibbia prison in Rome the day after the sentence, but is likely to be transferred soon.

Once again the media and the “political world” have almost universally reacted positively to the sentences, commenting in particular on the clemency of the judges who have decided to reduce some of the sentences by a few months. According to some, justice has finally been done and there has been equal punishment for the police forces guilty of violence and brutality, and for the “violent” protesters.

Funny though: the police forces who stormed into the Diaz school battering sleeping people are still on the loose, with a slight possibility of losing their jobs, their bosses have been acquitted of all charges and promoted; in the meantime, ten people who did nothing but damage cars and shop windows and never harmed anyone are going to spend in some cases 14 years of their lives in jail. As usual, the Italian justice system clearly shows who it serves.

Elena Giuliani, Carlo’s sister, commented on the sentence: “It wasn’t enough that they judged his murder a lawful murder. After 11 years, they still had to take more lives. And they were not the lives of those who killed, tortured, battered, or the lives of those who ordered the beatings and covered them up. Once again, they took the lives of our comrades”.

In detail, here are the sentences:

Alberto Funaro, 10 years (already in jail)
Ines Morasca, 6 years and 6 months
Marina Cugnaschi, 12 years and 3 months (already in jail)
Vincenzo Vecchi, 13 years
Francesco Puglisi, 14 years
The following are out on bail and waiting for appeals on related charges:
Carlo Arculeo, 8 years
Carlo Cuccomarino, 8 years
Luca Finotti, 10 years and 9 months
Dario Ursino, 7 years
Antonino Valguarnera, 8 years
Watch this space for more detailed info and addresses to write to them.
Based on various articles published on Contropiano, for originals see here.

Translated by Italy Calling

Final sentences for police forces involved in Diaz school butchery at 2001 G8 summit in Genoa

July 8, 2012 Italy Calling

 

After a 9-hour debate, the Italian Supreme Court has issued its final sentence against the 25 defendants – policemen and heads of security forces – responsible for the violence against the activists sleeping in the Diaz school during the G8 summit in Genoa in 2001. Result: most of the charges have been declared time-barred, leading to impunity for all the people involved. In the meantime, 10 activists are facing a total of 100 years of jail between themselves for crimes of “devastation and looting”.

Most of the criminal offences with which officers had been charged, including those of serious bodily harm, have been declared time-barred and therefore void. Torture is not even a crime on the books of Italy’s domestic legislation, therefore officers have never been charged with it. The only charge miraculously within the statute of limitations – that of fabricating false evidence – won’t have any major consequences thanks to the prison amnesty approved in 2006 for this type of crimes.

The only measure taken against the defendants (and whether it will actually happen or not is another matter) is a disqualification from public offices for a period of 5 years, which in theory should mean the immediate removal of all officers involved from their present jobs. Curiously, though, the same sanction hasn’t been applied to the squad leaders who led the school raid: once again, it would seem because of the statute of limitations.

In the meantime, the executives who directed the whole operation have, over the years, being promoted within the police forces, the Secret Services and other State forces: for example, the infamous Gianni De Gennaro, back then head of the police, has been made under-secretary to the Council of Ministers by the present Monti government. De Gennaro was definitively acquitted of all charges since “the fact does not subsist” – that is, in legal Italian terms, there isn’t any evidence that what he’s accused of actually happened. Now, don’t go saying the Italian state doesn’t know how to reward its most loyal workers.

Heidi Giuliani, mother of Carlo Giuliani, commented that “this justice is not complete, and more people were responsible, I’m talking about the then head of the police being acquitted, and the lack of trials for my son’s death”.

Most media reacted positively to the news, stating that justice had been finally done and everyone should live happily ever after. In a little while everyone will start saying that yes, maybe a couple of cops took it too far, but that the protesters weren’t innocent either, and that maybe the violence was only an excessive but justified reaction to the protesters’ violence. You’ve heard it all before…

So, while all the state forces go back home with a pat on their backs and a “Don’t do it again, son, it’s cost me money to get you of this mess”, 10 people who were among the protesters are facing the possibility of spending a good part of their lives in jail for crimes of “devastation and looting”, a legal legacy of the Fascist regime and one of the most serious charge in terms of public order in Italy.

Based on an article published on Contropiano, original here.

Background info: Amnesty International’s report on the G8.

For the support campaign to the G8 defendants, check my previous article on the topic and spread the call-out far and wide.

For a very personal and honest account of those days read my translation of fellow blogger psikosomatica‘s article here.

Translated by Italy Calling

Call for an international mobilization in solidarity with the convicted rioters of Genoa 2001 (Italy)

June 11, 2012 325 Magazine

From informa-azione.info:

On 13th July the last grade of judgment against 10 comrades, convicted for
having participated in the clashes occurred in Genoa in 2001 on the
occasion of the G8 summit, will be held.

The comrades were given heavy sentences, ranging from 10 to 15 years, by
the Court of Genoa and now their imprisonment may become executive.

Ten people are being used as scapegoat: through them, the State wants to
attack the hundreds of thousands of people who took to the streets in
those days, and particularly those who contributed to unleash the revolt
against the arrogance of the Powerful. We won’t accept the reprisal of the
State; condemning these comrades means to attack the whole movement.

In the meantime the responsible for the indiscriminate massacre, the raid
at the Diaz school, the tortures in the Bolzaneto police barracks and the
murder of Carlo Giuliani can sleep soundly in their beds as they were
awarded for their actions of slaughter.

We think it is our precise responsibility to give solidarity to the
convicted comrades, to denounce and fight against this act of repression
and to vindicate the importance of the days of Genoa.

We also think that in this period of violent attacks by the capitalist
system against the exploited, it is important to oppose the
criminalization of all those struggles that go beyond the restricted space
of what is allowed… This criminalization also manifests itself through the
heavy sentences brought about by the charge of “Looting and Devastation”.

For these reasons it is important to organize a mobilization in support of
the convicted comrades. This is our call for international solidarity, for
actions and initiatives to be held during the week before the day of the
trial.

Furthermore, we invite everyone to the solidarity demonstration that will
be held on the day of the hearing in front of the Court of Cassation in
Rome, so that the inquisitors will hear our voice directly.

06-12 July- days of action

13th of July- sit-in next to the Court of Cassation in Rome

Anarchists