keeping memory alive: Dublin anarchists/anti-capitalists march 2 years after death of Carlo Giuliani

Saturday July 19, 2003 22:12

by Indymedia Kevin - IMC Éire

Commemorating the second anniversary of the death of Carlo Giuliani - killed by the Italian Police in Genoa in July 2001.

Approximately 80 anarchists and anti capitalists gathered today outside the Central Bank on Dame Street for the second anniversary of Carlo Giuliani's death.

Carlo Giuliani was shot on Friday July 20th 2001 in the streets of Genoa by the Italian Carabineri during anti-G8 protests in the city. His death marked the height of the violent acts committed by the Italian state over the course of three days, which included beatings, torture, chemical weapons attacks (pepper spray and tear gas), unlawful detention, and intimidation.

The march made its way down Dame Street and then into Nassau Street, and straight out to the Italian Embassy in Ballsbridge, on the southside of Dublin. The lamp posts on the road to the embassy were covered with posters depicting his death.

A brief talk was given at the Italian embassy. The point of the march was not to glorify anyone as being a martyr or a hero - but to create memory. The aim of the state is to destory memory. By marching to the Italian embassy, the people were keeping the memory of Carlo alive; and keeping the memory of the violence of the state alive too. It was stressed that Carlo Giuliani was not anyone special; that he was exactly the same as all of us, fighting against a system that values profit over justice. The crowd then chanted "Assassini!" in Italian.

The crowd then moved on to the Swiss Embassy on Aylesbury Road. The reason for going here was to highlight another recent act of extreme violence committed by the Police during anti-G8 protests. During a non violent direct action, a climber Martin Shaw was hanging suspended from a bridge, blocking a road that led to the location of the G8 summit. The rope was cut by the Police with full knowledge of the situation. Martin Shaw was extremely badly injured in the fall and was presumed dead. It will take him three years before he will be able to walk again.

The demonstrators called for all charges laid against protestors during the G8 in Evian to be dropped, and for Martin Shaw's family to be financially compensated. They have asked for this from the Swiss Embassy but have not recieved any response.