INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARY FOR

IMPRISONED ANARCHISTS IN ITALy

20 arrests, m o r e t h a n 100 policeraids c o o r d i n a t e d all over Italy and only towards the anarchist movement: This is not the face of Italy under fascism, but the democratic Italy in may 2001. The massive persecution began just few days after the victory of the rightwinged multimillionaire Silvio Berlusconi in national elections. His party - Forza Italia - got more than 40% of the votes and immediately formed a government with the postfascist Allenza Nazionale, whose leader had promised the voters a "purge of the arabic shit". A promise which was rewarded with 10% of the votes. With a coalition of fascists, right-wing populists and fundamentalist christians, Berlusconi placed himself at the forefront of the Italian state, whose true nature was revealed at the G8 summit in Genoa, July 2001. Here, young people from all the world tasted what Italian anarchists taste everyday: severe beatings, planted evidence random arrests and often torture in the small cells of the isolation prison, all while the statepolice painted the walls with teenage blood . Since May 2001 persecution of anarchists has been increased and widened. At the annual international meeting of the Anarchist Black Cross it was reported that by the end of july this year, every anarchist from the Italian organization had been arrested except one. Because of this, it was proposed at the meeting to make an international solidarity-day with the imprisoned anarchists in Italy. To mark this we're hosting an info meeting at the following address:

~ TALKS ~ FILM? - COFFEE ~ The meeting will be in english, coffee will be provided. We will also be taking voluntary contributions to Anarchist Black Cross Italy. The oppressed in Italy have had their network broken with systematic violence and prosecution.

The italien Croce Nera Anarchica's (ABC) homepage was this summer shut down by Polizia de Stato, followed by more raids and arrests. Anarchists were brought directly from the street to isolation in prison. This new democracy attacks all who does not swear loyalty to parliament and democracy: The power of fear is stronger than the power of love. In this so called democracy, as in Denmark, patriotism is expected from all citizens. Fascists are - as mentioned - represented in the government, therefore officially aproved: When beaten up anarchists, dragged from the squatted houses, wake up in a cell, they did not know if they were hit by a " fascists" or a "polizia"\ Fascism is not something new in Italy: in 1922-45 the fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini ruled Italy. Silvio Berlusconi described this brutal tyrant as a "mercyful leader" innocent of any crime, that sent people "on vacation in internal exile" in a recent interview. Just like the fascism, repression is not news in Italy. What is new, is its scale, its randomness and its brutality. Anarchists are accused for everything, mysterious bombs, that they do not recognize. Anarchists wants a free society not one of fear, nor do they want to be labelled as terrorists. However they are prosecuted alongside their supporters, their network and comrades, who are also imprisoned on false accusations. All we can offer is support and solidarity to those behind the walls.

A maximum of solidarity is the condition for being able to enjoy a maximum of freedom. Errico Malatesta (1853-1932), italian anarchist
is an anarchist prisoner support organization which exists in various countries all around the globe. iCiTOi Originally it was founded as Anarchist Red Cross 1luring the czarM W l regime in Russia about 1904, but changed its name later during the / civil war to avoid confusion with the Red Cross. I_J L > The organization spread to Europe after the russian revolution 1917. ? I The idea and practice was to help political prisoners, especially the I . - J anarchists, that were persecuted in Russia. In the 1930's the I I pressure, especially from fascists, became too great and the organization closed down until 1960, when it was restartet in England. They immidiately took up the task of helping the political prisoners from 4he tights against Franco and the fascists during the Spanish Civilwar, 1936-39. To day - as mentioned before, various organizations exist all around the globe. There is no formal headquarters and all the local/national groups works completely independently. An international network does exist. On the homepage of the network, there is written: "We work for a stateless, cooperative/classless society, free of privileges and domination based on race and sex. " Because o f their struggle to achieve this, they support all who are imprisoned. The organization is not religious and supports political prisoners that even Amnesty International turn their back on.

Anarchist Black Cross (ABC),

For more information, see the homepage of the network: www.anarchistblackcross.ors

r i h e t I i g .

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