Just two days after the acquittal of former police chief Gianni De Gennaro for the police violence on demonstrators during the G8 summit in Genoa, comes the decision of the Court of Appeals for protestors who "devastated" and "sacked "Genoa. Eleven sentences, a total of 98 years and 9 months of imprisonment. Fifteen defendants acquitted because "they reacted to an unlawful charge of police".
The violent action of the police was therefore not justified, but in that case there wasn't any sentence.G8 social forum speaker Agnoletto, commenting on the news, said "15 years to those who broke windows, acquitted those who broke heads."
The comments, just after the sentence, were unequivocal: "punishments that they don't inflict even to murderers," "strike ten to educate millions," protested the public.
The notion that if one commits a crime must pay is not wrong, but it is also true that the penalties should be commensurated with the crime. Indictees "have taken more than ten years for having smashed a window" said lawyer Roberto Lamma.
Laura Tartarini, a lawyer who defends some demonstrators accused of devastation and looting, has spoken of "abnormal convictions." "I'm not accustomed to so harshly criticize judgments - Tartarini explained - but the fact that in the same week have been acquitted top police officials and sentenced the demonstrators, with punishments comparable in some cases to the crime of murder, suggests that in order to judge the events of Genoa, courts have used two weights and two measures. "
At first instance had been convicted 24 defendants for a total of 108 years in prison. Only a woman accused, Nadia Sanna, was acquitted.
The situation, however, has changed completely with the appeal trial. Fourteen people were acquitted, 11 were convicted, most with sentences much more severe, from 10 up to 50% more.
For the 14 people acquitted it was recognized self-defense because the charge of the police on the Tolemaide street procession was unlawful and, therefore, the response of the protesters was lawful. It was that assault against the anti-globalization march that unleashed the chaos where Carlo Giuliani died.
But 14 acquittals are nothing compared to the other convictions for which defenders have commented "So they found the culprits for the events of the G8". Haidi Giuliani, mother of Carlo, who a few days ago about De Gennaro (at that time Chief of Police) acquittal said "The ruling doesn't surprise me. De Gennaro is part of the category of untouchables of our country. After the events of Genoa he had a glittering career. (…) It was expected this man who runs the Secret Service would have been acquitted", today just said "This is not a sentence, but it's a revenge."
Marianna Lepore
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