Genoa's Armando Diaz School Raid: A Look Back at the 2001 G8 Summit Incident

The Overnight Raid on Armando Diaz School

On the night of July 21, 2001, shortly before midnight, mobile divisions of the Polizia di Stato from Genoa, Rome, and Milan, with operational support from some battalions of the Carabinieri, launched an assault on the Armando Diaz School in Genoa, Italy. The school, also known as the Sandro Pertini State High School ex Diaz Schools of Genoa, was serving as a temporary dormitory for anti-globalization protesters during the 27th G8 summit. While initial reports may have referred to a 'Da Vinci high school', verifiable records confirm the incident occurred at the Armando Diaz School.

Brutality and Devastation

The police operation involved an indiscriminate attack on the school's occupants, many of whom were sleeping. The raid resulted in the arrest of 93 peaceful protesters, with 61 seriously injured, three of whom were in critical condition, and one in a coma. The ferocity of the beatings was such that one police commander described the scene as a 'Mexican slaughterhouse', with walls splattered with blood. Evidence, including Molotov cocktails, was later found to have been planted by police to justify the brutality of the raid.

Legal Aftermath and International Condemnation

The events at the Armando Diaz School sparked widespread condemnation and led to extensive legal proceedings. Over the years, many police officers involved were brought to trial. In 2010, some of Italy's most senior police officers received jail sentences of up to five years for their roles in the attack and an attempted cover-up. Furthermore, in 2015, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Italy had violated the European Convention on Human Rights during the 2001 G8 events, ordering compensation for a protester beaten by the police. The raid remains a significant and controversial event in modern Italian history, highlighting issues of police conduct and human rights during public demonstrations.