Italy

In June 2020, house raids took place in the Bencivenga Occupato squat in Rome and other places, and seven anarchist comrades were arrested in Italy, Spain and France as part of an operation called “Bialystok”. They were accused of participating in an associazione sovversiva (criminal association) and of various minor offenses related to initiatives in solidarity with comrades accused in the Panico operation. Two of them were accused of carrying out an explosive attack on a police station in 2017 and an arson attack on cars linked to ENI (an Italian multinational oil and gas company) in 2019, respectively.

In 2017, house raids took place in Florence and several anarchist comrades were arrested as part of an operation called “Panico”. Up to 35 comrades were charged in this operation. Some comrades were accused of carrying out an explosive attack on a fascist bookshop in 2017 and an arson attack on a police station in 2016. Other comrades were accused of various other actions.

In 2019, three anarchist comrades were arrested as part of an operation called “Prometeo”. They were accused of sending parcel bombs to prosecutors and a director of the prison administration in 2017. One of the comrades was also accused of carrying out an arson attack on an ATM in 2016.

In February 2019, 50 house raids took place, mainly in Trentino, and seven anarchist comrades were arrested as part of an operation called “Renata”. More comrades were arrested in May 2019. The arrested comrades were accused of participating in an associazione sovversiva (criminal association) and carrying out various arson and explosive attacks between 2016 and 2018, including an explosive attack on the headquarters of the right-wing political party “Lega Nord” in Treviso. Some comrades were also accused of forging documents.

In February 2019, the Asilo Occupato squat in Turin was evicted and six anarchist comrades were arrested — a seventh comrade, Carla, went on the run — as part of an operation called “Scintilla”. Some of them were accused of carrying out several arson and explosive attacks on migrant detention centers and other targets between 2015 and 2018. Some of them were accused of publishing a zine called “I cieli bruciano” (“The skies are burning”) which contained information about entities responsible for the management and maintenance of migrant detention centers.

In 2016, 32 house raids took place in different regions of Italy and several anarchist comrades were arrested as part of an operation called “Scripta Manent”. Up to 22 comrades were under investigation in this operation. They were accused of forming or participating in an associazione sovversiva con finalità di terrorismo (criminal association with the aim of terrorism), referring to attacks claimed by the Federazione Anarchica Informale (FAI, Informal Anarchist Federation) since 2003. Some of them were accused of explosive attacks carried out between 2005 and 2016. Some of them were accused of istigazione a delinquere (incitement to commit a crime) for writing in the anarchist newspaper Croce Nera Anarchica (Anarchist Black Cross) or for running radical websites.