Activists under arrest

Saturday November 23, 2002
The Guardian

We are appalled to hear that the Italian authorities have arrested 20 anti-capitalist activists and threatened them with serious but vague political charges. One of the charges, "conspiracy against the state", was made law by the fascist government in the 1920s. These arrests took place days after the end of the European Social Forum in Florence. The forum brought together over 60,000 mainly young Europeans from the anti-capitalist and anti-war movements, non-governmental organisations and trade unions in four days of intense discussion about the neo-liberal disaster and its alternatives. All of those arrested were involved in organising the forum. Despite media hysteria, the forum was a peaceful celebration of a new radicalism that is mushrooming around the world. The million-strong anti-war demo that ended the event was living proof of the level of support for this new left. The timing suggests these arrests are an attempt to criminalise and confuse a movement which holds so much hope for the future. It is a matter of urgency for us that the accused are released and all charges are dropped.
Tony Benn
Louise Christian
Prof Alex Callinicos
Kate Hudson
Vice-chairwoman, CND
Chris Nineham
Globalise Resistance