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Chapter 10
Giving Voice to Silence: A Study of State
Violence in Bolzaneto Prison during
the Genoa G8 Summit
Adriano Zamperini and Marialuisa Menegatto
10.1
Introduction
The 2001 Group of Eight Summit (G8) in Genoa was held from 16 to 22 July.
Hundreds of groups and organizations combined in the Genoa Social Forum (Gsf)
to organize the collective protest around the summit that brings together the state
and government heads of the eight richest countries of the world. In preparation
for the events, the town was transformed into a fortress. To prevent disorder and
violent clashes, the Italian government imposed safety measures. Massive police
guards at each gate controlled access to the city; the airport, port, and railway
stations of the city were closed to free circulation; helicopters flew over the urban
spaces at low altitude, and above all, to prevent the protest from disturbing the
meeting, the measures focused on keeping demonstrators out of the summit area.
High iron grating 5 m high and barriers were installed to protect the so-called red
zone (the area in which the summit actually took place) from the rest of the city.
The deployment of forces of law and order recalled a proper state of assault.
Despite the display of force and the climate of tension and fear, the first
Migrants International March on 19 July 2001, which included approximately
50,000 people, was pacifically formed without incident. However, the situation
changed the following day due to what the mass media described as the provocations
of the Black Bloc, followed by indiscriminate and violent police responses. On the
morning of 20 July, Black Bloc members were left unchecked while damaging
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