Italy Italian police officers jailed for Genoa violence 14/11/08 07:59 CET

Thirteen Italian policemen have been sentenced to a total of 35 years in prison for their part in an attack on anti-globalisation protesters in 2001.

The officers were found guilty of beating up sleeping youngsters during a G8 summit.

The acquittal of 13 other officers and three senior policemen was greeted by cries of “shame” in court.

Much of the testimony from witnesses about the police attack was horrific.

The officers were accused of systematically beating up unarmed, and even injured, people at a school building which was being used as a base by the demonstrators.

The former Deputy Police Chief of Genoa spoke out against his colleagues, saying he could not keep quiet any longer, and described a scene of butchery. Some 82 people were hurt, 63 of them had to stay in hospital.

The officers were equally accused of planting Molotov cocktails in the dormitory to incriminate the protesters.

A young demonstrator was killed during the Genoa G8, shot dead by a policeman.