Yesterday around midnight the Italian police invaded the Franciscan Convent in Assisi in order to arrest and immediately expel comrade Jaime Yovanovic Prieto to South Africa from where he proceeded for the Anti-imperialist Camp.
Professor J, who delivered the main speech of the forum on Porto Alegre and the future of the anti-globalisation movement yesterday, is being searched for his anti-fascist resistance against the dictator of Pinochet. After passive resistance hindered the police to take J directly on the site of the camp, he flew to the Franciscans and asked for church asylum.
However, after long negociations and a protest ralley in front of the convent the Franciscans nevertheless eventually allowed the police to enter the church.
We denounce the fact that – while Pinochet and his torture generals are still free – the resistance against the dictatorship is still being persecuted by Italy and the authorities of the European Union who claim to be the stronghold of democracy. We demand political asylum for Jaime Yovanovic Prieto in Italy.
We re-iterate our strive to defend the elementary democratic rights which are being threatened by the so-called anti-terrorist war. These rights include both the right of resistance of the oppressed people like the Palestinians and the right of free coalition and speech in favor of the anti-imperialist struggle attacked by the new anti-demoractic legislation imposed by the European Union.
Today a protest ralley in Assisi will take place under following slogans:
Asylum for Jaime!
For the right to resistance against the imperial world order!
Down with the Western terror war!
