“Police off Diaz.” So reads one of the banners placed yesterday on the doors of the Liceo Pertini in Genoa, the institute based in via Cesare Battisti and also known as the “Diaz School”. This is the building where, on the night of July 21, 2001, during the G8 in Genoa, the police raided and injured 82 people. Today, this same school was chosen to host an orientation lesson on police training. A decision that sparked protests and criticism from students. “After the accusations made against students from Pisa, Florence and Naples, we refuse to allow the police, in a symbolic school like ours, to come and give lessons, as if nothing had happened,” attacks the Pertini collective in a leaflet.
The school's director, Alessandro Cavanna, also intervened on the subject, specifying: “No police officer arrived at the school to give lessons.” Simply, explains the principal, “during the day spaces were set up to talk about different professions, a career in the police was one of them but there was no agent present”. Cavanna said he understood the reasons for the protest, but he also said he was “surprised” by the response of the students, who were reportedly informed of the initiative a few days ago. “I understand the dissent but they could have spoken to me before and made complaints,” explains the school principal. The students are not giving up, however, and according to reports Republic, are preparing to call a meeting. “Demilitarizing the school – writes the Pertini collective – means restoring the role provided for by the Italian Constitution. Police out of Diaz.”
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