Italy: Upholding of Genoa G8 convictions prompts police shake-up at top

Rome, 6 July (AKI) - A major reorganisation at the top of Italy's police force will follow the upholding by Italy's top court of 13 senior officers' convictions over a brutal attack by riot police on protesters at a school during the Genoa G( summit in 2001.

"The men who have been convicted at the final level of appeal must be replaced," justice minister Anna Maria Cancellieri told Italian daily Corriere della Sera on Friday.

Several of the officers are investigators close to Italy's police chief Antonio Manganelli.

They include Franceso Gratteri, head of anti-crime operations, who was involved in many high-profile investigations against the mafia; Gilberto Caldarozzi, head of the police central operations unit, who played a role in capture of mafia "boss of bosses" Bernardo Provenzano in 2006; and Giovanni Luperi, the head of the police counter-terrorism unit.

The officers were convicted on Thursday by Italy Court of Cassation for complicity in planting of evidence to try to justify the unprovoked attack at the Genoa school, including a petrol bomb and clubs.

The officers will not be jailed because they benefited from a general pardon for certain offences in 2006. But they are banned from public office for five years after their definitive conviction and will be suspended from duty.

Cancellieri said Italy was losing some of its best policemen but said she wholeheartedly condemned the violent attack by police on the G8 protesters.

"Serious errors were committed at the Genoa G8 and now those who are responsible for this must pay," she stated.

"The price is very high, because we are losing some of our best men."

Twelve riot police were previously convicted for beating protesters in the school but never jailed because of Italy's statute of limitations.

More than 60 anti-globalisation campaigners were savagely beaten and one left in a coma by the police raid which occurred on the night of 21 July after rioting and pitched battles with police in Genoa.

One Italian protester was killed during some of the worst rioting seen at international summits.

Amnesty International described as the most serious suspension of democratic rights in a western country since the second world war.

Manganelli said the police would, "accept the sentence with utmost respect and commit to the constant improving of training with regard to the complex field of order and public security".