(See also ITALY Summit in PA foreign file)
ITALIAN POLICE CHIEFS REMOVED AFTER SUMMIT VIOLENCE
By Vanessa Allen, PA News
Three Italian police chiefs have been removed from their posts following
Foreign Office calls for an investigation into the G8 summit violence.
Police shot dead a 23-year-old protester during the riots in Genoa last month,
and British campaigners held after the violent clashes complained they were
tortured by officers.
Italian interior minister Claudio Scajola said last night that the deputy
chief of police in charge of the summit, Ansoino Andreassi, head of the
anti-terrorism department Arnaldo La Barbera, and the police superintendent of
Genoa, Francesco Colucci, had all been reassigned.
More than 200 people were injured in clashes and 280 arrested in the riots.
Police also faced international criticism for a pre-dawn raid on a school that
was housing demonstrators.
Five Britons were held after the raid, including one man who was taken to
hospital for treatment.
They said officers burst into the building while they slept, beating them and
then holding them without contact with lawyers, British authorities or their
families for up to four days.
One of the men, Jonathan Blair, 38, also known as Norman, from Newport, has
since said he intends to sue the Italian authorities for compensation.
The Foreign Office said at the time that it had "sought and received
assurances that allegations of police mistreatment of UK nationals would be
investigated as part of the investigation already launched by the Genoa public
prosecutor".
A spokesman repeated that officials were told there would be a "full
investigation" but said the Foreign Office would make no further comment.
Mr Blair, Daniel McQuillan, 35, a computer consultant from Tottenham, London,
Richard Moth, 32, from north London, and his girlfriend Nicola Doherty, 27, were
deported from Italy and banned from returning for five years after appearing
before a magistrate, despite not being convicted of any offence.
None were available for comment tonight.
The other freed Briton, Mark Covell, 33, was treated for internal bleeding and
broken ribs after the raid. His mother last night refused to comment.
Speaking from his hospital bed in Genoa at the time, he said he was a peaceful
protester and was also considering taking legal action.
end

030255 AUG 01