Sunday, 22 July, 2001, 05:41 GMT 06:41 UK

Eyewitness: Genoa police raid



By Bill Hayton in Genoa

Hundreds of Italian police backed by a helicopter raided two schools being used by campaigners around midnight local time (2200 GMT).



I was visiting one of them.

It was being used by the campaigners to put material up onto the internet.

Along with about 100 protesters, I was herded into a corridor and made to wait while police searched the premises for weapons.

Heavy policing

To my knowledge, they found nothing.

They left after an Italian MP arrived and told them to go.



Across the road though it was a different story.

The school there was being used to train campaigners in non-violent direct action.

The protesters may have put up some resistance but the police response was heavy and dramatic.

The occupants say they were made to stand against walls and then beaten by four policemen.

Unconscious



Evenly spaced pools of blood now lie on the corridor floor.

Around 20 people were taken to hospital.

I saw some of them being carried out unconscious.

Another 20 walked out with severe bruising.

They left behind hundreds of shocked and angry young campaigners convinced this was police revenge for the riots of the past two days.