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Berlusconi police attacks international meeting in Torino
Two members of KOE arrested
The Communist Organization of Greece (KOE) and the Coalition of Radical Left (SYRIZA) condemn the brutal and provocative attack of the Berlusconi police against a non-violent protest of students and university professors yesterday morning, Monday 18 May 2009, in Torino. The Italian police attack against the public meeting, which protested the reactionary “University G8 Summit”, resulted in the arrest of students, among them two members of KOE.
The students of KOE, who are also elected officials of their Student Unions with the Left Unity block (respectively in the Medicine Faculty of Creta and in the University of Thessaloniki), were participating in the Counter-Summit organized in Torino by the Italian student movement and progressive university professors.
During the arrest they were beaten by the Berlusconi police, and then transferred for interrogation to the “political police” DIGOS headquarter. They refused to answer the questions of DIGOS and were subsequently released. According to their lawyers, they will be accused for “disobedience against the authorities”. They were then transferred by the Italian comrades to the hospital in order to obtain a medical report confirming the visible bruises provoked by the brutality of the Berlusconi police.
This morning, Tuesday 19 May 2009, the Coalition of Radical Left protested outside the Italian Embassy in Athens, as well as outside the Italian Consulate in Thessaloniki. A delegation, composed by the MP of SYRIZA Thodoris Dritsas and by members of the SYRIZA National Secretariat, met with the Italian Ambassador and protested the police attack and the students’ arrests in Torino.
Moreover, they underlined to the Italian Ambassador their total condemnation of the repressive and antidemocratic policy applied by the Berlusconi government against the popular movements as well as against the immigrants. The Italian Ambassador assured the SYRIZA delegation that he will transfer to his government the protest and the demand to drop all the baseless accusations against the students…
Yesterday’s police attack against the movement only confirms further the deeply antidemocratic and antipopular character of the reactionary Berlusconi government. At the same time, the mobilizations organized by the Italian movement with the participation of delegations from Greece and several other European countries demonstrates the fact that the radical, antisystemic Left through out Europe advances its coordination and develops its solidarity in the common struggle.
The Communist Organization of Greece wants to thank all the Italian comrades who, from the first moment, came to the aid of our two comrades. The Communist Organization of Greece especially thanks the Rete dei Comunist (Network of Communists) and the independent base trade union RdB (Rappresentanze Sindacali di Base) for their immediate and effective solidarity.
Athens, 19 May 2009
Communist Organization of Greece (KOE)
Links:
http://www.contropiano.org/ [Rete dei Comunisti)
http://tv.repubblica.it/copertina/gli-scontri-di-torino/32886?video [video from Torino]
Communist Organization of Greece / Kommounistiki Organosi Elladas (KOE)
International Relations Department
Email: laokratia@yahoo.com * aristera@tellas.com
Web: www.koel.gr * In English: international.koel.gr
Post address: Newspaper "Left!" * Isaia Salonon 6 * 11475 Athens, Greece
Phone: +30 210 6441745 * Fax: +30 210 6430024