arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

1) The general atmosphere in Genova:
BOMBS
HOT WEATHER
WORD OF THE MOMENT: UNO CASINO!
WORD OF THE MOMENT: QUE CATSO!
'BELLA CIAO' AND 'HASTA SIEMPRE' BEING SUNG EVERYWHERE
EVERYONE LIVING ON MINIMAL KIP
OLD WOMEN HANGING KNICKERS ON WASHING LINES TO DEFY BERLOSCONI'S BAN
THE CLANDESTINE CAFE FUELLING IMC AT REDUCED PRICES
OMNIPOTENT HELICOPTERS

2) Mon 16:
* Set up of infrastructure - tents being erected in Piazza Kennedy and Red Zone perimeter fence being erected for example.

3) Tues 17:
* Red Zone effective from midnight
* Social Forum opens
* Accomm becoming an issue as more people arrive in the city
* Inside the IMC itself - the layout of the bldg whr we were located: Video, kitchen / meetings, photos / phone, Squat net / despatch, front desk, Laptops room (lots of UK and Belgium), translations, web updates
* Inside the GSF
* The GSF centre itself (medical, media, info, Co-or, GAP radio)
* Card colours: light grn for corp media, dark grn for movement media, yellow GSF (?), other colours (can't remember for what)
* Some people arrested and deported (?)
* Border situation intensifying as groups turned away
* Convergence Cnt at Piazza Zennedy already effective with maps, info and accomm info in general

4) Weds 18:
* SNCF cancel Globalise Resistance train from UK (?)
* Tension mounting as greater numbers of police and protesters arrive in Genova
* Jose Bove pied at Soc Forum
* Cow at Social Forum
* Numbers of people on street grows
* x2 IMCers arrested and others deported
* Border situ grows with Schengen suspension in full swing - lots of reports of random beatings etc across Europe as people are stopped en route to Italy. Greek protesters beaten on boat from Greece for example.
* Anticipation for Thurs' No-Borders protest mounting
* Police presence vast but innocuous

5) Thurs 19:
* Numbers swelling on the street - you can feel the vibe mounting
* Migrant march: 15-20,000 expected but 70,000 turn out. All access points to RZ guarded by riot-clad police officers.
* Migrant solidarity demo sees: Roma, street entertainers, men with plants in rucksacks, bit of black bloc, wall of protesters between police and other protesters. Bella Ciao everywhere along with Internationale, sea containers (part of G8 defences) getting banged/drummed by prots. March goes into a tunnel. Women wave knickers from windows. March proceeds through tunnel. Eventual stand-off between prot and police - capacity to get aggressive but remains 'cool'.
* Soc Forum continues and starts to get into full-swing
* Manu Chao play to crowd of 30,000 (10,000 Lire to enter). Sandwiches and water distributed to thousands care of Manu Chau. (Concert includes Subcomm Marcos quote).
* Planet Pizza becoming Indymedia's canteen of choice
* Radio broadcast including Bill Clinton as member of Black Bloc
* Website (Indymedia Italy) getting hundreds of thousands of hits
* Heavy rain across northern Italy. Stadium where Tutte Bianche located gets inundated - fire crews pump out water.

6) Fri 20:
* Police block Tutte Bianche at stadium delaying arrival of thousands of protesters
* Vast numbers converge on Genova: ATTAC/Globalise Resistance/Greens/many Catholics etc to the south. Some Black Bloc, Cobas and others to east near Via Torino (Later on Tutte Bianche etc clash near train line bridge on Via Buenos Aires nr to Via Torino). NGOs/Pink etc north near Brignole (Closest ones to get to RZ).
* All day clashes with running street battles particularly intense around east and Via Torino with south and north seeing lots of police tear gassing more pacificistic protesters.
* Noon: Banks being attacked by BB on via Torino. Running street battles with the police.
* From afternoon onwards (times not clear): Number of pacifist protest groups including large numbers of Catholic groups attacked by police to the south of the Yellow zone.
* From early afternoon onwards (times not clear): Pink/Silver and Lilliput and many other pacifist groups get close to north of Red Zone near Brignole Station. Attempts to pull down fence meets heavy response from police on Via Assarotti. BB in the area have running battles with police. Many reports of pacifists being indiscriminately beaten by police in this area. BB reportedly makes its way to a prison in this area and attempts to storm inside.
* From 3pm onwards: Tutte Bianche arrive and take full force of police riot squads. Carlo shot around this time in the east of the city as part of the now vast street battles unfolding in the east of the city.
* Throughout the afternoon: Protesters making their way from street battles routinely gassed, beaten, arrested regardless of activity.
* People gather at Carlo's place of death. Tensions high.
* Throughout night: Some sporadic fighting, property destruction, arrests and beatings. Generally uneasy quiet.
* Genova looking battered - burnt cars litter streets along with blood spattered pavements.

7) Sat 21:
* Up to 250,000-300,000 people gather along coastal road lying to the east of the city. March proceeds up to Piazza Kennedy where Convergence Centre is located and attmpts to turn right. People are expecting to go to north along via Torino to park area to hear speeches and have anti-G8 festival.
* By early afternoon police are firing teargas (and dropping it from helicopters) into crowds. Police insist, after the event, that it is in retaliation for for fact that BB are operating within demonstration.
* Convergence Centre at Piazza Kennedy is invaded by police and much equipment destroyed.
* 20-30,000 protesters break away from head of demonstration and try to continue to head to festival location. They are beaten and tear-gassed as they march onwards. Other hundreds of thousands of protesters make their way across the hill dividing the coastal road from via Torino and the route north to the festival location. Many give up and start making way home.
* Streets again divided between protesters and police but atmosphere of defiance has evaporated and many thousands of people are making their way home.
* By 5-6pm all bus and train stations, along with major roads are packed with people trying to leave the city.
* Police seen dancing on the tops of their vans celebrating at Piazza Kennedy.
* General uneasy feeling as police continue to indiscriminately arrest and hassle groups of protesters.
* By 9pm city is dead quiet. Some protesters (many international) are still left in the city and are desperate for a place to sleep.
* General atmosphere of disorganisation as most GSF 'infrastructure' collapses under strain - accommodation, communication, lost property.
* Police car drives along road between School Diaz (where some protesters and GSF and Indymedia people are sleeeping) and School Pertini (where GSF and Indymedia have operational HQ). Bottle is thrown at car.
* Large numbers of unmarked officers in full riot gear arrive in between two schools and enter both buildings. Police indiscriminately beat anyone they encounter in School Diaz including Sky who has been talking with friends in the courtyard of Shool Diaz. People asleep are also beaten while computer equipment in the school is destroyed.
* Police enter GSF / Indymedia HQ and force everyone to sit on the ground as premises are raided. Computers taken / destroyed along with cameras and footage. Much of the materials gathered by GSF's legal team destroyed.
* Stream of ambulances ferry casualties from attack to hospital.
* By 2am police have left and story is being relayed via those computers still working to the outside world by Indymedia.

8) Sun 22:
* Police guarding casualities refuse to disclose where they are being held and who is there. People are arrested - as has been customary throughout whole weekend - when released from hospital. Little or no information on health and well-being of casualties is relayed to friends or relatives.
* Media arrive at GSF / Indymedia HQ for one of a series of press conferences. Many mainstream journalists begin to file reports on the attack on the School Diaz and Pertini.
* Police announce that BB and GSF are working in unison. Police announce that BB have infiltrated all GSF / Indymedia facilities as reason to explain
* A series of press conferences reveals new footage of police working alongside 'Black Bloc' agent provacateurs as well as footage of police entering school and beating people.
* Atmosphere in Genova tense as only few protesters remaining are arrested and others living in fear.

9) Mon 23:
* Series of solidarity actions across Italy sees over 100,000 people nationwide on the streets. While other actions across Europe and USA sees thousands in solidarity actions.

10) August 20:
* Solidarity actions one month after event sees thousands attend actions across Italy as well as in Germany, UK, Ireland, USA, France, Switzerland.

11) August:
* 21 year old (?) Carabineiri officer who shot Carlo cries on TV and asks family for forgiveness.
* Some key officers involved in policing event are forced to resign (?)
* Series of 'bomb' threats across Italy including Venice where Berlusconi takes opportunity to appear as first line of defence against 'terrorism'.

12) September:
In reaction to Sept 11 events in NY Berlusconi forces state enquiry into bloody events to a premature close.