I sure will participate in such a fund. I awaited for it, thinking to all protester injured & arrested. That's the least we can do.

But, just a thought, doing this the way you suggest, using bank direct wire transfers, will permit to the banks involved in it to take between 10 and 40% transfer "cost" on the funds.

Really, the thinking that banks will take their "part" on the money I could send to help anti-globalisation protester makes me a little... disgusting.

Is it not possible to local IMC's to set up temporily accounts (or their own) and, after, separate and find the best way transferring it in a way the banks could make the little profit on it?

I think I will do it that way. I know sure you have more important problems to discuss after all of this. But I don't want to let my local bankers to make profit on blood and violence they precisely generated.



See you

Could you confirm who I make the cheque payable to? I won't be able to give more than twenty quid because I'm edging on skint, but it's a worthwhile fund I think.

How can people in the US send help?
He makes a good point about the banks making money off this being disgusting but I suppose expediency is important as well.

How can people in the US help?
Also, he makes a good point (above) about the banks making money off this being disgusting. I suppose expediency is importatnt as well.

The (London based) Legal Defence & Monitoring Group is also collecting money for the Genoa legal fund - cheques can be sentmade payable to us to BM Haven, London WC1N 3XX. We will do a collection at the demo in London on Saturday.

I agree with the idea that local IMC's should set up their own funds and then transfer bigger amounts to the Genoa legal team to avoid getting banks a share in this. but unfortunately i haven't seen this happening yet... I'll put a call for this on the European and the US lists.

In the meantime we'll have to work that way. You can send a check or a postal order from any country - as far as i know banks will not charge us in that way. I've amended the text of my original call to make it clearer.

I'll keep you posted here if I have news on any of this. Thanks for engaging!

i've been thinking about this a bit and may have a solution to the banking fee problem. there's a service set up here in the states, and abroad as well called 'paypal' www.paypal.com. anyone can set up a personal account for free and can transfer money from their account/credit card to any other paypal member for free. it costs the recipient a 2.9% + 30cents fee. this beats any 10% -40% that a bank is going to charge. the service is available in the following countries:
* Argentina
* Australia
* Austria
* Belgium
* Brazil
* Canada
* China
* Costa Rica
* Denmark
* Dominican Republic
* Finland
* France
* Germany
* Greece
* Hong Kong
* Iceland
* India
* Ireland
* Israel
* Italy
* Jamaica
* Japan
* Luxembourg
* Mexico
* Netherlands
* New Zealand
* Norway
* Portugal
* Singapore
* South Africa
* South Korea
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* United Kingdom


it seems to me this would be the ideal way to set up a donation system, as it would be possible for people to donate from their computers at a low fee, plus they wouldn't have to go to the bank and get hassled about transfreeing money abroad. (i've done it, it can be a real pain in the ass.)

any ideas about this??

It's about time we used the tactics of the Mothers of the Disappeared in Argentina. (Well, something a kin to it).

We need to talk to our relatives and explain to them that we need their support whether or not they agree with what we do.
They should already know that WE ARE NONVIOLENT and therefore, if someone is violent to their family members they should be on the phones, at the police stations, at the offices of their MPs, etc to get not only their own kids out but others' kids/sons/daughters/fathers/mums/ grandparents/ partners/etc.
And to demand that their family members and others have a right to free speech, freedom to protest, etc.

We need to involve the neighbours who know us from growing up, the priest , the imam, the rabbi, the green grocer who knew us from when we were dribbling and grinning from our prams.
We must let them know that we are nonviolent protesters who are having our rights (and ultimately, their rights) to freedom and free speech violated by increasingly draconian and fascist laws and police state tactics.
We must let them know that alot of the bullshit they hear about violent protesters are lies and that the violence either starts from uniformed police, or from agentes provocateurs (we should all know by now that there is proof that agentes provocateurs are dressed as Black Bloc types and are causing violence)
Most of our family and friends are part of the status quo ( or want to be). If we don't get people outside of our 'circle of friends/comrades' to understand what's going on, and that they need to help, we will forever be thwarted by the State with it's corporate media who go around telling lies about who we are and why we are doing what we do.
If we don't get our familes to help us, we will continue to have limited appeal. You can expand your appeal to people without changing what you're saying and doing, by simply talking to people who already know you.

Believe it or not, that is an effective way to fight off the increasing fascism not just in Italy, but in the U.K. (remember that stupid Terrorism Act?), the U.S. (Los Angeles Police Department trained the Italian police in Genova this summer, and the LAPD has killed, maimed and framed many citizens in the US. Also, alot of the stun guns and other high tech fascist weapons come from the U.S.), and unfortunately, many other so-called democracies.


We all need to wake up

all is very well commenting on the banks nicking of % but one should remember that before we spend weeks discussing ways of transferring money... while people remain in prison being defended by State lawyers (not the best ones now to be defending you) that the most important thing is to make sure money gets there and fast... Another thing to watch out for is dodgy NGO's and help groups that played no part in anything up to now and suddenly are making an appearance. A lot of people are and will make money out of what we went through in Genoa but we must make sure that our political prisoners are released from their nightmare as soon as possible. So please whatever is the best way around the banks lets sort it out now and not be discussing this anymore. That money is needed badly and will continue to be needed. Lets set up some stable structures so that after any further happenings we're not debating this same topic. Keep the debates going but keep the prisoners in mind...