G8 summit protesters to sue Italian police over their arrest

Five British anti-capitalism protesters who claim they were beaten up and falsely detained during last month's G8 summit in Genoa are to take the Italian police to court.

Richard Moth, his partner Nicola Doherty, Norman Blair and Daniel McQuillan are to challenge the charges brought against them, the manner in which they were arrested and the orders under which they were deported from Italy.

Yesterday they handed over documents prepared by lawyers in Italy at the Italian consulate general office in London. The fifth protester, Mark Covell, was unable to join them as he is still recovering from injuries received at the summit.

Mr Moth, a public-sector worker from north London, said: "Part of the legal challenge will be that effectively a whole range of outrageous charges were brought against us without due legal process. We want to take this through the Italian courts so that the police and politicians responsible are brought to justice."

The G8 summit sparked huge demonstrations and rioting in which one protester was shot dead. Hundreds complained of police brutality and wrongful arrest.

Mr Moth travelled to the summit as a member of the public-sector union Unison and, with Miss Doherty, stayed at a school designated as a "safe site" by protest organisers. He claims police burst in and beat those inside without provocation. He needed stitches to his head and Miss Doherty suffered a fractured wrist.

All five are being represented by the Genoa Legal Forum.