G8 protest activists detained in police raid

Italian police have raided the headquarters of the umbrella group behind anti-capitalist riots at the G8 summit just hours before…

Italian police have raided the headquarters of the umbrella group behind anti-capitalist riots at the G8 summit just hours before world leaders end their meeting today.

A police van rammed a gate to get into the grounds of the school where the Genoa Social Forum had set up its headquarters and living quarters during the summit, said Ms Luisa Morgantini, an Italian member of the European Parliament.

Legal sources said 10 members of the Forum were detained and driven off in a police van. They included activists from Spain, France and Britain.

Witnesses said police also seized computer discs and other equipment in the midnight raid on a school the Forum had made its living quarters and headquarters since the summit started on Friday.

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Police said they did not rule out a last effort by hardcore protesters, still enraged by the death of a young Italian shot by police on Friday, to disrupt the final hours of the summit.

It was not known if the raid on the forum was to head off new violence.

A ring of steel around the summit and a "zero tolerance" policy towards protesters has so far stopped demonstrators breaching the so-called "Red Zone" protecting the leaders.

Nearly 300 people have been injured and more than 100 arrested. Dozens more protesters were detained briefly.

"Virtually everyone agrees these protests grew out of people's real concerns linked to policies (by governments)," Russian President Mr Vladimir Putin said. "People lack confidence."

"We were of course traumatised by the events that occurred around us", French President Jacques Chirac said.

US President Mr George W. Bush said he was determined hardcore troublemakers would not win and stop international leaders having legitimate discussions.

"Those who claim to represent the voices of reform aren't doing so. Those protesters who try to shut down our talks on trade and aid don't represent the poor as far as I'm concerned," Mr Bush said.

When the leaders meet again in Canada, it is certain to be in a far more remote location and in far smaller numbers.

Canadian Prime Minister Mr Jean Chretien said he planned a slimmed down 2002 meeting and it might be held in a Rocky Mountain hideaway which would be easier to police.

"There are too many people," Chretien told reporters.

Italian prosecutors announced they had opened an investigation into the paramilitary policeman involved in the fatal shooting of Mr Carlo Giuliani, 23.

The proceedings will determine whether murder or manslaughter charges should be brought, or whether the officer was acting in self-defence.

A Genoa police spokeswoman said Mr Giuliani, who was unemployed and homeless, had a police record and faced a series of pending charges including illegal arms possession.