Police also tried to filter and block the people arriving to Pisa by car and by train, impeding them to gather around the base. Apart from the Italian organizing committees 'Cobas' and 'Movimento antagonista toscano' there were also a lot of participants from other European countries, like 'Globalize resistance', the 'Greek social forum' and the basque nationalist workers movement 'Lab'. The massive police presence is received with indignity : "At the basis of Camp Darby there are canoons and weapons, and what does Berlusconi ? He accuses us of being the violent ones ! Bet we have never shot at anyone, we are only trying to stop this war. It is them that are shooting and killing, we are the ones that only want peace and love."

50 years is enough !

The military basis of Camp Darby at Tombolo (Livorno) was opened in 1952, based on a secrete agreement between the Usa and the Italian government. The basis, situated in the Park of Migliarino-S. Rossore (Pisa), is about 2000 hectares big and used by the US army to stock logistical material and weapons of any kind. The basis of Camp Darby was named repeatedly in several investigations of 'unsolved' cases of Italy's dark history like the unsolved terrorist attacks of the 80's (known as the 'tension strategy' to justify repression) and the selling of arms to Iran and fascists in South America. The basis of Camp Darby, along the coast and receiving 50.000 visitors a year, is also a beautiful holiday destination for American soldiers. But for the people of Toscane the basis not only represents an unsafe hostage taking of Italian territory by American weapons, but also a logistic and strategic centre of international terrorism. Since half a century "Close the Camp Darby" has been the slogan of numerous manifestations asking the redrawal of the military basis. At the 6th of november another big manifestation took place against this militarization of our territory and of our lives.

"non official" peace demonstration during the ESF days.

The demonstration that took place in the afternoon of the 6th of November, few hours before the official opening of the European Social Forum, was not part of the official program of the ESF. The main reason seems to be that the ESF was afraid that some incidents could happen that would have an impact on the image of the ESF days. But spokesmen of the organization committees of the Camp Darby demonstration explain that this separate demonstration is the result of different views inside the movement and inside the ESF. Although they claim that these differences do not mean a 'split' inside the ESF, they have a different opinion about the central role of the U.S.A. in the global wars than members of for example 'Tavola della pace' and 'Rete Lilliput', also organization committees of the ESF. So, why this manifestation against Camp Darby when saturday th 9th of november there will be a big European manifestation around the same anti-war issue ? The Camp Darby demonstrators : "Because at the 9th of november there will be no explicite anti-american statement and we consider the US as the principal authors of terrorism. We also wanted to add a concrete element to this forum and thus march towards a concrete result of the American imperialistic militarization : the presence of an American military basis on Italian territory.

Sources : IMC Italy and Il Manifesto (5/11/2002)
Other pictures :

FOTO Camp Darby
by Officina dell'Immagine