Is Italy a Police State?

In Genova, Italy 2001,the government of Silvio Berlusconi imposed a veritable police state on tens of thousands of demonstrators protesting against the meetings of the heads of state of the eight leading capitalist powers (the Group of 8). On July 20, carabinieri (paramilitary national police) charged into a peaceful demonstration and as protesters scattered, they shot an “anti-globalization” demonstrator, Carlo Giuliani, in the head, rolled over him twice with a jeep and drove away. It was an execution.

That night squads of riot police broke into the Diaz school which housed many protesters and the independent media center that was sending out news of the demonstrations. The blood-stained walls recorded the horrors that took place as scores of youth were brutally clubbed and hauled off to holding pens. As they were carrying out the attack, the cops repeatedly shouted “Viva Il Duce!” (Mussolini) and “Viva Pinochet!”

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I like Italy and Italians too. I have heard some tales of the Italian police using excessive force though which is very suspect.

Such as those people sleeping in a school who had gone to demonstrate at the Free Trade thingy... apparently the Italian police raided it in the night and gave them a violent wake up.

Italy has been, on and off, a police state, with its recent hisoty in that mould not so long ago.

Brutality is a form of power, and many of those now in the policeforce/army in Italy were members of the 'old guard', and the brutality has never wandered far from the past.

Watch other countries,for as the American influence, for example, enforces rule, banning marches against wars, the you will see the thuggery that can come out f a uniform.

Sorry but absolutely Italy is a police state. I have lived in Italy and I love Italy on one hand, on the other it is a complete police state. You need to be registered as to where you live, to verify your address they send to "CARABINIERI" fully outfitted with visible guns who interrogate you. I took my son to the doctor at a local hospital for a minor procedure, was told to follow up, which I did with his paediatrician (who works for the state system) and then I got a call asking me why I had not brought him back, I explained I was told to follow up and did with my paediatrician, they said ok great. I thought that was done then on the following Saturday I was told the Carabinieri were at my door...I panicked because you know in Italy when the Carabinieri show up it means business. I looked in my post box and saw a note that I needed to report to the local Carabinieri because I was in violation of a law which I looked up and it carried a 4 year prison sentence and was "IGNORING THE COMMAND OF AN AUTHORITY". I promptly went to the local Carabinieri who asked me 1000 questions for two hours and filled out a report. I had done NOTHING wrong it was all because I went to the doctor rather than back to the treating hospital to follow up on my son's clipped tongue-tie, which they had said was fine. Additionally in Italy the police are dressed to intimidate with elaborate outfits I personally find akin to Nazi/Gestapo uniforms (BOOTS LACED UP ETC). There are no less than 10 varieties of police; LOCAL POLICE, MUNICIPAL POLICE, STATE POLICE, CARABINIERI, GUARDA DI FINANZIA, POLIZIA PENITENZIARIA, CORPO FORRESTO DELLO STATO, PROVINCIAL POLICE, INTERFORCES (DIA), RNP,OVRA ETC (and yes there is an etc.). You essentially do nothing without the permission or without informing the police and the state is all powerful and can easily build a case against you for anything they wish to and yet ignore real crimes if the people are paying them off. It is a police state but a corrupt one.

During G8 in Genova in 2001 there was bad episodes of brutality by Police and Carabinieri.

After, i never heard more.

What did happen to u?

My english is truly horrible. Sorry

You're implying that UK or US are not police states? This has been a new craze since 911, the more human rights are abused the better you look in the eyes of EU.

I quess the Italian police does not take too much ****. I was in Italy, however I did not witness anything as described. I did however witnessed proper citizen attitude toward each other most of the tme.

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I have many a friend in Italy this is the first I have ever heard may I ask you what part of Italy....email me