On the day after three senior policemen responsible for security during the Genoa G8 summit were removed from office, Italian state President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi expressed "the full confidence in the Republic's security forces".
Mr Ciampi made his remarks after a meeting with the Interior Minister, Mr Claudio Scajola, who late on Thursday issued disciplinary proceedings against Mr Ansoino Andreassi, deputy-chief for G8 summit security; Mr Arnaldo La Barbera, Italy's antiterrorism chief; and the Genoa head of police, Mr Giuseppe Colucci.
Mr Scajola told journalists yesterday it was "opportune" that all three men be assigned to different duties so as to facilitate ongoing judicial inquiries into the violence which claimed one life and saw more than 230 injured during globalisation protests in Genoa two weeks ago.
The disciplinary measures, widely predicted in a series of media leaks, came at the end of a fortnight of growing public concern both in Italy and abroad about police behaviour during two days of street riots.
Mr La Barbera, one of the three men removed, was questioned yesterday by police inspectors in Genoa, while earlier state prosecutors had carried out on-the-spot investigations at the Bolzaneto police barracks. The Genoa Social Forum, the main Italian anti-globalisation protest movement, has claimed that pacifist protesters were systematically beaten or ill-treated during detention in the Bolzaneto barracks.
In the face of widespread allegations of police brutality, both on the streets and in detention centres, the centre-right government of Mr Silvio Berlusconi earlier this week agreed to instigate a bicameral parliamentary inquiry, due to hear its first witness, Genoa Mayor Giuseppe Pericu, next Tuesday.
The parliamentary inquiry, headed by Donato Bruno from the Forza Italia party of Prime Minister Berlusconi, is made up of 18 Deputies and 18 senators. Among those expected to give evidence are Italian Police Chief Gianni De Gennaro, as well as three men removed from office this week.
The inquiry is expected to have concluded its work by September 20th.
Meanwhile, yesterday also saw yet another Italian consulate, that in Bremen, Germany, surrounded by protesters demanding the release of Geman globalisation protesters still held in Italian custody. Throughout the last two weeks, Italian embassies and consulates in Brussels, Paris, London, Dublin and elsewhere have been the targets of post-Genoa protests about police brutality.