Protest Organizers in Genoa Blame Police for Violence...

Protest Organizers in Genoa Blame Police for Violence which Disrupted Powerful G8 Summit Demonstrations
Interview by Between The Lines' Scott Harris.

Over 100,000 demonstrators from around the globe converged on the northern Italian city of Genoa July 20 through 22 to protest the economic and social policies of the world's most powerful nations. The mostly peaceful demonstrations were held as the G-8 leaders gathered for a summit meeting in Genoa behind barricades and under the protection of thousands of riot police.

Trade unionists, environmentalists, church groups and students called for an overhaul of policies promoted by the G-8 that protesters argue damage the environment and enrich the elite while impoverishing the world's poor majority. But the actions of a small group of so called 'black bloc' demonstrators who clashed with police soon resulted in tragedy. Twenty-three-year-old Italian Carlo Giuliani was shot dead by a police officer as a militant crowd threw objects at a law enforcement vehicle. Later in the weekend, police conducted a brutal raid of two buildings used by protest organizers and independent journalists in Genoa. Dozens of people were severely beaten and arrested. Many were later hospitalized as the Italian police justified their action by saying they were searching for hooligans and weapons.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Vittorio Agnoletto, spokesperson with the Genoa Social Forum, a group representing more than 800 international organizations that supported the protest against the G-8 summit. He discusses the demonstrations and police violence which occurred in Genoa(A RealAudio Version of this interview may be found At http://www.btlonline.org).

Vittorio Agnoletto is a spokesperson with the Genoa Social Forum. Receive updates on worldwide actions condemning police violence in Genoa by visiting the Independent Media Center Web Site at: http://www.indymedia.org

Related links:
Genoa, Italy G8 Social Forum http://www.genoa-g8.org
Public Forum "Another World Is Possible" http://www.genoa-g8.org/gpf-eng.htm

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