[Pharm-policy] Off topic: Eyewitness accounts of Genoa IMC raid

Mon Jul 23 16:12:00 2001

http://www.indymedia.org/

Please check the link above for photos and other information about the
aftermath of last night's police raid of the Genoa Independent Media
Center. =

The Washington, DC indymedia site is currently carrying more information
than the Genoa Indymedia site. According to the BBC, about 100 cabineria
(Italian police) raided the Genoa Independent Media Center and a
building being used as a hostel nearby. The BBC reports that at least 40
people were injured (beaten) and 50 were detained during the raid. =

The DC indymedia site includes frantic e-mail messages sent by people at
the IMC while it was being raided. I've posted them below. =

The BBC radio also covered the raid:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/index.shtml
(click on World News Bulletin)

The eyewitness messages below are in reverse chronological order, so
please scroll down to the bottom of this message and read the bottom
first.

-Katie Krauss

Many eyewitness reports of police raid of Italy
Indymedia Center - GSF. (english) =

by Independent Media. 8:55pm Sat Jul 21 '01 =

Many eyewitness reports of July 22, 2001
police raid (around midnight) on Italy
Indymedia Center and also other Genoa
Social Forum buildings nearby and across the
street. All are in Genoa, Italy. Genoa (for
those living in a cave) is the site of the G8
(Group of 8) meeting, and mass protests of
over one hundred thousand people from over a
thousand groups. A broad spectrum of groups
seeking economic, environmental, and social
justice. =

Please copy and place elsewhere. =

This whole article is posted (with links clickable) at: =

http://sf.indymedia.org/display.php?id=3D102064 =

Italy Independent Media Center. =

http://italy.indymedia.org =

Italy Indymedia is sometimes offline. Try later if problems, and
also check out other Indymedia sites. Many are covering Genoa
G8. =

http://www.indymedia.org/ =

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =

Latest reports are on top. Time is listed for each report. =

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =

Police in brutal raid on G8 protesters' press centre =

GENOA, Italy, July 22 (AFP) [Agence France-Presse] - =

http://asia.dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/world/afp/article.html?

http://www.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D54308 =

Italian police conducted a brutal lightning raid on the press centre
of the anti-globalisation movement Genoa Social Forum early
Sunday, AFP journalists reported. =

The raid began shortly after midnight and ended just before 2 am
(0000 GMT). =

Yelling, the police smashed open the door and barged into the
building on the via Cesare Battisti where there were around 50
people inside. =

As people threw themselves on the ground they were kicked and
clubbed by the police. Around 40 were injured in the raid,
according to the Forum, a figure that was disputed by Genoa
police. =

Afterwards there was blood all over the place. One injured man
with a huge bruise on his cheek said young policemen continued
to club and kick people on the ground even when an officer
shouted at them to stop. =

The police were looking for film and photographs in the
possession of the organizers of the anti-G8 demonstrations
which degenerated into violence Friday and Saturday, resulting in
one death and many wounded in clashes with security forces,
the GSF said. =

-------------- =

-------------- =

Others images from the attack =

by Indymedia France 4:28am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

nico@primitivi.com =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5486 =

[photos] =

Others images from the attack =

http://france.indymedia.org/ =

-------------- =

-------------- =

Report on BBC =

by nz 4:16am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5475 =

BBC World Radio has just reported the raid on the GSF and =

italy.indymedia site. =

BBC. World Radio News has just reported the raid on the =

GSF Building and italy indymedia NZ Time 2.10 pm. =

The serious beatings, and the pools of blood in the GSF Building
were well described as the result of police brutality. =

The groups involved were referred to as anticapitalists =

who organised the protest marches against the G8 and those =

who were beaten as protestors against the G8. The report =

went on to say that the protestors were asleep inside the =

GSF and their report came from a BBC journalist who was
present at the raid. =

-------------- =

-------------- =

Report on BBC =

by nz 4:11am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5473 =

BBC World Radio has just reported the raid on the GSF and =

italy.indymedia site. =

BBC. World Radio News has just reported the raid on the =

GSF Building and italy indymedia. The serious beatings, and the
pools of blood in the GSF Building were well described. =

The groups were referred to, not as anti-globalisation but as
anti-capitalist, and those beaten as protestors against the G8.
They said their report came from an official media journalist who
was present at the raid. =

-------------- =

-------------- =

IMC in the GSF =

by imcista 3:59am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5464 =

[photo] =

This is how the Indymdeia centre looked just after the Carabinieri
left. =

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-------------- =

Police raid sleeping, protesters injure dozens (photo) =

by Devin Asch 3:38am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

masterdevin@hotmail.com =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5448 =

[photos] =

Blood stains in the gsf building (across the street from
IMC)where protesters were severly beaten. More than twenty
were badly injured and taken from the building on streachers.
The number of arrests in has not been released. =

http://devinasch.tripod.com/index.html =

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Police Raid GSF, IMC other groups =

by el pato 2:53am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5415 =

At half past twelve, police raided the media building which
housed the Genoa Social Forum, the Independent Media Center,
legal and medical support groups. =

At half past twelve, the police raided the Media Center in Genoa
which contains the Indy Media Center, Legal Support, and
Medical teams. At first the police attempted to enter on the
ground floor, but the doors were quickly barricaded against
them. =

Many activists, journalists and others outside were beaten by
police. There were dozens of injuries. Before long police were in
the building and entered the third floor where indymedia is
located. =

IMC journalists stood with hands against the walls of the halls.
Police gathered all journalists, and then searched the rooms. The
confiscated mini discs, a digital camera, and other materials, like
gas masks and swiss army knives. =

Soon after, an official of some sort of officials (a woman) arrived
and told police to leave. The police left this building and went out
side where police vans and riot police were parked. =

There were a number of representatives of official press in the
building, and they documented much of these events. The Genoa
Social Forum gathered to hold a news conference, and went out
to the street to meet with more press. =

>From the window, we could see riot police try to take GSF
people behind police lines, but there was much resistance. For
the next one and a half hours, police beat many people, and
there is blood visable in many places. =

At the school across from this building, it is reported that police
entered around the same time they came here. Activists who
were staying there were lined up against the wall, and reportedly
beaten. Witnesses report blood all over the halls of this building. =

It is now 2:55 am, and police have left the area. People are
milling about in the street and both buildings, shocked at what
has happened. =

------------- =

------------- =

Calmer at the IMC =

by Hanna 2:31am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5396 =

The situation is a bit easier at the IMC now. The police cars are
still there, but further away. Everyone from the school is getting
arrested. The rumours of deaths have not been confirmed. =

People inside the IMC saw two black bags being carried from
the school. They looked suspiciously like body bags. That's all
that is know right now, although I don't speak Italian. =

The police that charged into the IMC building were in plain
clothes, only wearing a vest with the text "policia". =

Lots of people have been hurt, many quite seriously. =

People that are free to move are hoping to get on a train and
somewhere as far from Genoa as possible - and fast. =

Hanna =

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RADIO GAP GOTTA LIVE RADIO GAP WILL NEVER DIE =

by militant_0@destructio.art.lab 1:36am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

address: crash.to/dal militant_0@punkass.com =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5335 =

fascist way to stop the truth =

the police using fascist methods forced people to lie down on the
ground, then kicked their bodies and hurt them with sticks. =

computers were crashed and floppies/CDs were stolen, many
injured persons. =

all this is horrible. =

all this gotta stop. =

hasta siempre =

m_0 =

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Situation at the IMC =

by Hanna 1:26am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

hanna.nikkanen@edu.stadia.fi =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5325 =

Several injuries, as police has charged into IMC and the school
opposite. IMC journalist has the attack to the school on video. =

One British IMC-journalist is badly injured. He had been lying still
at the schoolyard for a while before he was taken away in an
ambulance twenty minutes ago. =

At least three people have been carried to ambulances from the
school, last with a bloody bandage covering his/her head.
Several others have been able to walk in on their own feet. =

There are at least a hundred fully armed riot police waiting
between the school and IMC building. =

The place is swarming with press. =

Lots of people are leaving the stadium, afraid that it will be
attacked next. =

-------------- =

-------------- =

news from police in mediacenter =

by tx0 1:23am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5322 =

Agnoletto talking at radio =

Agnoletto is talking at radio reporting about intrusion at
mediacenter. =

Police said they invoked article 41 about permission to intrude in
search for weapons and other bellic material. In mediacenter
they'll found just press material and medical supplies. =

------ =

6 ppl exited mediacenter seriously wounded taken away on
ambulance. =

--------------- =

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police left indymedia centre =

by keep cool 1:22am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5321 =

police left the building but at the house in opposit they hit people
who sleep badly =

the police entered the building of indymedia. everyone had to lay
on earth. they destroied the computers of legal service. after
laywers showed up and declared the act as illegal they left. =

at the building in oppoisit, where peop=E8le have been sleeping
they hit people sirious without any matter. =

their behaviour was like in southamerika =

they are so fashist bastards =

--------------- =

--------------- =

mediacenter =

by tx0 1:18am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5312 =

police declarations about motivations of entering in mediacenter =

Police claims a patrol car has been hit by a rock dropped out a
window of mediacenter. Claims also that a policeman has been
hurt with a knife. Reported founding of molotov bottles, lead
pipes and rocks. 50 ppl arrested. Also reported presence of
black block ppl inside mediacenter =

--------------- =

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police beat up people opposite imc =

by indy 1:13am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5306 =

after the imc left from the genoa imc, the situation is still not
clear. the police also stormed the building opposite the imc and
beat a lot of people. now they dont let someone in. some
ambulances arrrived. =

it seemd that there are a lot of people beaten bzy police in the
building opposite thje imc. the police is still blocking the door.
some ambulances arrived and the situation can escalte again.
more information soon. =

Make a quick comment on this article. =

comment =

Situation is still going on!!!! =

by Finnish IMC 1:19am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

Situation is still going on!!!! =

Police are coming back IMC!!!Make a rating on this comment. =

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Police wants to take all proofs regarding their actions against the
protesters =

by caraspa 1:02am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5293 =

all audio or video which was used to denounce the police
infiltration in the BB is being sized by the police here in
Indymedia =

The siezure of all material against police is being seized here in
the school where indymedia was working. We are still
surrounded bz lots of police and we can not move from inside.
We need help to denounce this action and the lack of freedom of
press. There are people who are being beaten. =

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POLICE RAIDED GSF AND IMC center in via Cesare battisti in
genoa =

by indymedia 12:59am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5289 =

radiogap recording while raided by the police. =

mp3 64kbit mono - 2.2M =

http://dyne.org/sgombero-radiogap.mp3 =

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GSF HQ raided =

by imc 12:45am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5277 =

44 minutes of police raid at GSF HQ and location of Indymedia
journalists- will update when possible =

!!!! =

do not know what has happened to others =

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Police, indymedia and radiogap =

by Key 12:45am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5276 =

The police are impounding materials =

There are deputys, lawyers and foreign reporters. They =

say they can get in because they are searching for weapons. =

No italian media in there =

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media center: voices under siege =

by tx0 12:41am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

tx0@autistici.org =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5273 =

Italian police are confiscating floppy and videos from media
center. RadioGap was cut for more than 15 minutes. Now
restarted broadcasting. It's imperative to amplify the news
throug conventional media. Broadcast latest facts everywhere!!! =

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carabinieri start entering school centre ! =

by activist 12:25am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

address: sergio.o@gmx.net trasgu@chello.nl =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5260 =

The police is attacking the indymedia centre in the school centre
in Genova. It is clear that the reason is taken the material for
indymedia. =

The police is still here. Press and lawers have been called. =

Also the building in front of the school, a space where people
was sleeping is being attacked by the police. =

Make a quick comment on this article. =

comment =

police entering in mediacenter, last news =

by tx0 12:34am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

pepople has been devided in two groups, laying on the floor,
voices claim that they want to get back videos about
manifestations =

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Police inside Indymedia and RadioGap =

by Key 12:21am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5254 =

lots of tanks =

Hundreds of policeman outside. All the people is being =

identificated. They are picking up injured people. =

People is being beaten up =

They are "interested" in indymedia people at the moment =

Make a quick comment on this article. =

comment =

# =

by # 12:28am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

how can we help? =

we are still surrounded by the police in Indymedia Genova =

by yops 12:42am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

Please tell all media internationally that we are here inside a
school used by indymedia to work with Genova Social Forum
and now police have entered and we are surrounded by them
and we cannot go outside. We need help from lawyers and
medical doctors. Please we are asking to all people to make
everything possible to do whatever action so we are not
emprisoned or hurt. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO USE THIS
INFORMATION TO SPREAD THE LACK OF LIBERTY TO
EXPRESS AND TO MEET. SEND URGENTLY AID IN ORDER
FOR US TO GET OUT OF HERE SAFELY! =

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cabinerai outside IMCUK =

by =E7 12:03am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5233 =

4 cabineria van pulled up outside IMC and banging on door trying
to get in =

2 =

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police surrounding media center please help =

by YOPS 12:03am Sun Jul 22 '01 =

http://italy.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3D5232 =

PLEASE HELP HERE IN GENOVA, WE HAVE THE
SURROUNDING =

please help us here in genova. all police is surrounding the media
center, please call all international media to announce and
denounce this information. URGENT PLEASE HELP =

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