Scots protest over G8 deportations

CND activist Brian Quayle protests at his deportation from Italy

Anti-capitalist protesters have held a demonstration outside the Italian consulate in Glasgow after six of them were refused entry to Italy before the G8 summit.

They allege that the action of Italian officials breached their civil liberties and the right to freedom of movement within the European Union.

MSP Tommy Sheridan has called on the Scottish Executive to investigate why they were deported.

Tight security in the Italian city of Genoa for the meeting of the heads of the world's eight leading industrialised nations did not prevent trouble, including the death of one demonstrator.

Lance Goodey: "Black mark on my character"

Brian Quayle, joint secretary of the Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said he had been going to Genoa to take part in a peaceful protest.

He has convictions for breach of the peace related to anti-nuclear protests, but said he has no history of violence.

"We have no police record of any kind of violence at all yet we were deported and given no reason.

"I want a written statement from the Italian government on why we were deported, and I want a statement from the British government why they collaborated in this. Why they sent to the Italian police reports about us to the extent the Italian police arrested us. "

Marked man

Lance Goodey of Globalise Resistance, who was also stopped at the airport, said he was now a "marked man".

He said: "I have my passport in my hand. It has got a stamp from Genoa airport on it with the date of last Tuesday. And superimposed over the top of that is a large red cross.

"This may well curtail my movement anywhere in the world. It is a black mark on my passport and on my character."

Scottish Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan is calling on Justice Minister Jim Wallace to investigate the issue.

Tommy Sheridan: Calling for inquiry

He said: "I think it is a very sinister development that individuals who have a sterling record of peaceful protest against the threat of nuclear annihilation find themselves barred from entry into what is supposedly a democratic country, in the shape of Italy.

"It is an attempt to demonise and in effect criminalise legitimate protest and we should never allow that to happen."

The Scottish Executive said it was a matter for the police.

The police were unable to comment.

The Home Office has confirmed that information is passed on from British police to Italian officials.

However, for an Italian visitor to be refused access to Britain the Home Office said he or she would have to have a serious conviction, though each case would be considered on its merits.

The Italian Consulate has not yet responded to the demonstration.