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Italy: G8-Genoa policemen's trial suspended as planted molotov cocktails disappear

01 January 2007

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One of the most significant incidents during the three-days of police violence against protestors that marked the G8 summit in Genoa on 19-21 July 2001, saw the beating and arrest of 93 activists who were sleeping in the Diaz school, against whom allegations of criminal association aimed at destruction and committing violent acts intent were made.

These were partly based on the fabrication of evidence, particularly the planting of two molotov cocktails in the school after the police raid had started. The molotov cocktails, which a police officer had confessed to planting in the school on orders from Pietro Troiani, the deputy police chief in Genoa, were used to charge the occupants with possession of explosives and to justify the raid (see Statewatch, vol. 13 no. 5, August-October 2003).

On 17 January 2007, it surfaced during a hearing in the trial of 29 police officers facing charges in relation to the raid including violence and the fabrication of evidence, that the molotov cocktails have disappeared. While prosecutors and lawyers acting on behalf of the victims of the raid claim that this is not overly significant because all the necessary tests on the bottles have been run and there is extensive documented evidence of them, including photographs "taken from all angles", lawyers defending the officers argue that "photographs can never substitute the material evidence of a crime, which must be physically recognised".

Repubblica, 18.1.2007; il manifesto, 19.1.2007.

Background - Statewatch coverage:

Genoa Justice campaign: Site
Report by Annelie Buntenbach and Hans-Christian Ströbele, Members of the German Bundestag, on their trip to Genoa on 25 and 26 July 2001: Report
(Updated 17.8.01) Genoa: 20 of the PublixTheatreCaravan detainees freed & Germany to challenge Italian "expulsion orders"?
Detainees freed
Demand for the immediate release of members of the PublixTheatreCaravan. Protest against miscarriage of justice and for freedom of expression, 12.8.01: Appeal
Statements by two British people arrested: Statements
Collection of reports on Genoa from urban75: Reports
Report from La Repubblica on police out of control, carried by Global Resistance: Report
Guardian report says (27.7.01) 220 people still being held: Report
2,093 people refused entry to Italy to attend Genoa protests: Entry denied
UK Genoa protestors released: Report and statement (Guardian) Statement
Belated call by UK government for inquiry into police violence: Report (Evening Standard)
Fair Trials Abroad press statement on Genoa arrests: Genoa arrests
Independent Media Center reports on police raids: Report (1)
Independent Media Center (IMC) on police raids: Report (2) (pdf file)
Amnesty International call for inquiry into policing: Amnesty
Genoa, midnight Saturday 21 July: Police raid on independent media centre and school - many injured (22.7.0

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