Italian MP: Danish arrests a danger to democracy

Italian Green Party MP Paolo Cento told Moskito that he had been in contact with the Danish Embassy in Rome all day to protest against what he considers »a very serious incident«. Cento is the Vicepresident of Italy’s Parliamentary Committee on Justice.

– This poses a danger to democracy. There’s no excuse for restricting democratic rights in Europe in this way, Cento said.

On Friday afternoon there was a clash between police and demonstrators outside the Danish consulate in Venice. In the towns of Rome, Milano and Trieste similar protests were organized near the Danish diplomatic representations.

It isn’t clear on what grounds the Italian activists were arrested. Karl Horn from the police press office didn’t wish to tell Moskito what the six jailed activists were suspected of.

Why where they arrested?

– Well, because they were Italians, said Horn.

According to Eugenio Passalaqua from »The Disobedients« a group of about 35 Italian activists were walking along Nørrebrogade, on their way to their accomodation, when they were surrounded by police vehicles. After showing identification six of the activists were arrested.

The names of the arrested are Massimiliano Gallob, Michele Valentini, Riccardo Varotto, Paolo Do, Enrico Casagrande and Luca Cassarini.

Casarini is a key activist on the Italian left. He was spokesman for »The Disobedients« during the violent clashes at the Genoa summit, where a young activist was killed by police. Four of the other arrested are similarly spokesmen for the movement in their home towns.

By Ulrik S. Kohl and Betina Dalgas