Pro-Palestinian student demonstrators in Pisa who were baton-charged in allegedly heavy handed policing Friday had refused mediation, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi reportedly told cabinet Monday, according to sourcespresent.
They allegedly gave no notice of the type of demo it would be and did not respond to police efforts to contact them, he said.
On the day itself they also refused to say where they were headed, and "ducked repeated attempts at mediation on the part of (security police) DIGOS, trying, despite warnings from a director of (DIGOS) and the express and repeated request not to head for Piazza dei Cavalieri (where the campus is), to breakthrough the police cordon and deliberately coming into contact with the flying squad units".
President Sergio Mattarella has reprimanded police over the clashes, which left five students in hospital.
The opposition has condemned the allegedly excessive use of the truncheon after a video emerged showing cops repeatedly hitting students on the head.
photo: a student demo protesting the policing in Pisa
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