by Chuck0 August 21, 2002
The Italian newsmagazine, Panorama, has just published an article on activist and anarchist websites in which it basically says that they "aid terrorists." Websites featured include Indymedia, A-Infos, Infoshop.org and several Italian language sites. The article includes large reproductions of the front pages of several websites (including Infoshop). One photo shows the police during their investigation of last year's murder of Marco Biagi, the left-wing Labor minister, whose assasination was blamed on hard core leftists.
This article would be pretty amusing, if it wasn't for the long history of the media's practice of defaming, lying, and misrepresenting radical groups. It might be easy to laugh off this sensationalism, but it helps create hysteria against radical ideas. It is especially troubling given the Italian government's recent track record in raiding radical newspapers and media centers. Just look at the bloody assault by the Italian government on the Independent Media Center in Genoa last year.
The Italian government, headed by media tyrant Berlusconi, also has raided homes and tried to shut down activist websites. Several years ago, the Italian authorities tried to shut down Bits Against the Empire.
While it is easy to keep websites running despite government attempts at censorship, the irresponible journalists at Panorama are contributing to an atmosphere where not just radical ideas are outlawed, but any views critical of the government are criminalized.
Infoshop.org will post more news on this situation as it becomes available.
While we are flattered that Panorama calls Infoshop.org the "bible of the black bloc," we have to point out that Infoshop.org is more than just a resource for people engaged in one street tactic.
Related Links: --------------------------------------------------------------- IMC Italy: http://italy.indymedia.org/news/2002/08/72435.php This story came from Infoshop News (http://www.infoshop.org/inews) For more, see http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=02/08/21/0055203