Friends of a Dublin man arrested in Italy after G8 summit protests in Genoa have expressed concern about the manner of his arrest and detention and the charges against him.
Mr Joe Moffatt (31), from Drimnagh, a master's student in media studies at the DIT, has been charged with resisting arrest and possession of a weapon, a Swiss army knife, while returning to his campsite.
A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said Italian authorities were conducting forensic tests on the knife, the results of which had been expected earlier this week.
Mr Kieran Hegarty (24), from Togher, Cork, was with Mr Moffatt when they were stopped by police. They were walking by what appeared to be an armoured car depot when they saw a police car outside.
Mr Hegarty said Mr Moffatt was caught as he was between the vehicle and the depot gates.
Mr Moffatt's girlfriend, Ms Rena Nagle, said she was so angry about what happened to him, she was considering going to Canada for next year's G8 summit.
