This morning at dawn the police arrested 23 activists - in raids all over the country - accused of being responsible for the rioting in Genoa during the G8 meeting in July 2001. 9 of them are now detained in jail while the others cannot leave their homes.

This is a different enquiry from the one that led on Nov. 15th to the arrest of 19 people - now all out of jail - with accusations of conspirancy against the state. This time there is no such accusation.

It's quite interesting to note that two days ago the prosecutor in charge of the enquiry on the events of Piazza Alimonda asked for the charges against Mario Placanica - the Carabinieri officer who allegedly shot dead Carlo Giuliani - to be dropped as he acted in
self defence.