A new repressive operation, named “Sibilla”, is targeting anarchists in Italy.
At dawn on November 11, there were numerous raids in different cities (Cagliari, Cosenza, Cremona, Genoa, Lecce, Massa, Perugia, Rome, Taranto, Spoleto and Viterbo) and 6 companions were served with judicial surveillance warrants. Alfredo Cospito, already imprisoned in Terni, was given a preventive detention order (sic!). Michele, companion from Spoleto, has been placed under house arrest with an electronic bracelet. Four other companions are under various forms of judicial control (forbidden to leave the region they live in, obligation to report to the police station three times a week).
The comrades are charged with the crime provided for by article 270 bis (association with the purpose of terrorism and subversion of the democratic order), because of the design, printing and distribution, also by digital means, of the anarchist newspaper Vetriolo, as well as for tagging walls with content considered as incitement, in addition to a case of damage to property belonging to others. In addition, they are charged under art. 414 (provocation to crimes and misdemeanors), for the drafting and dissemination of communiqués with content inciting the commission of crimes against the State, with the aim of terrorism and subversion of the democratic order.
In addition to this, two counter-information websites are targeted: roundrobin.info and malacoda.noblogs.org, which are considered an aggravating circumstance of provocation to crimes and offenses (by means of a digital instrument).
From Bure we want to express our solidarity and support to the defendants of the Sibilla operation and also to those of the other repressive operations against anarchists in Italy: operations Lince, Scintilla, Renata, Prometeo, Scripta Manent.
These operations remind us of the investigations for criminal association and anti-terrorism that have been affecting the French anarchist milieu for some years. Last June, the trial for criminal association in Bure took place, after several years of judicial control which included, according to the defendants, non-association conditions with other defendants, prohibition of going to the districts around Bure, to leave France, the obligation to clock in, etc. In a climate of surveillance and repression, the state’s stated objective was to crush anti-nuclear resistance by targeting the struggle against the radioactive waste burial project at Bure.
In March 2020, an anti-nuclear week was organized at the Ancienne Gare de Luméville, near Bure, with the aim of creating international links. During the week, there were many discussions about repressive operations, borders, prisons, escaping and other reflections about the punitive system. These discussions were facilitated by speakers from different countries and accompanied by a translation system to facilitate the exchanges. Writing workshops for prisoners were offered in order to break the isolation.
Also, before the event, prisoners were individually solicited to participate in the week through writing. Among the contributions was that of Alfredo Cospito. The letter was about the strategies of struggle in the anti-nuclear and anti-authoritarian movements. He wrote, among other things, that “when one of us finds themselves inside, the best way to resist is to continue the struggles for which you found yourselves ‘chained’ and you are giving me this opportunity.”
In the Sibilla operation, Alfredo Cospito is charged with the crime defined by article 414 for this letter, and also for a text addressed to an anti-prison assembly of June 2019 in Bologna, and for the book-interview “What international?”. The state is thus trying to prevent our incarcerated companions from taking part in the struggle by expressing their anarchist convictions and ideas, and is reinforcing, ever more so, prison isolation.
From Bure, we support the importance of international solidarity against the repression of our comrades. Against all authority, let us share our thoughts. Let’s do it on an international scale. Let’s share the thoughts of our incarcerated companions. The struggle does not stop at the bars: let us thwart repression.
Solidarity with the newspaper Vetriolo, with the websites of RoundRobin and Malacoda that the State has tried to censor, solidarity with Indymedia and the other websites that continue to publish counter-information, despite the raids and the repressive pressure.
Solidarity with the defendants of the Sibilla operation and with those of the Renata, Prometeo, Scintilla, Lince and Scripta Manent operations, and with their support networks.
For an international solidarity that thwarts repression and strengthens our means of struggle.
Rome, Taranto, Spoleto and Viterbo) and 6 companions were served with judicial surveillance warrants. Alfredo Cospito, already imprisoned in Terni, was given a preventive detention order (sic!). Michele, companion from Spoleto, has been placed under house arrest with an electronic bracelet. Four other companions are under various forms of judicial control (forbidden to leave the region they live in, obligation to report to the police station three times a week).