On May 13, 1999, when the bombing raids against Yugoslavia were in full swing, anti-war protesters took to the streets of Florence, Italy, among them also a contingent of the anti-imperialists. The police attacked the demonstration heavy-handedly injuring also the then member of Tuscany’s regional parliament, Orietta Lunghi. A law suit filed by her against the police was turned down by the judiciary.

Meanwhile the police in return accused 13 protestors for having committed civil disorder. On January 28, 2008, the judge handed down the sentences: seven years imprisonment for all of them.

Though Italy is known for its politically biased judicial system, nevertheless this sentence is widely regarded as to be exceptionally high. The Florentine section of the Anti-imperialist Camp wrote in a press communiqué dated January 28, one day after the scandalous verdict:

“Yesterday’s sentence is one of a police state waging war. While those who should have been persecuted for having committed war crimes in the aggression against Yugoslavia violating §11 of the constitution remain in top governmental charges, those who fought against these crimes are being sentences to seven years. This monstrosity can only be explained with the permanent war under US leadership attacking international law and sidelining also those of the national states.”