Italy: Thousands praise Mussolini at his tomb in Predappio

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March in Rome: Supporters of the former dictator Benito Mussolini show the "Roman salute"

Photo: Francesca Volpi/Getty Images

In northern Italy, 2,000 to 4,000 Benito Mussolini supporters dressed in black have chanted at the former dictator's grave - 100 years after the politician began his two-decade fascist rule in Rome.

Many participants in the rally in his birthplace of Predappio (Emilia Romagna) wore fascist symbols on their clothes and sang hymns from Italy's colonial days.

Apparently there were more people on the road than in previous marches of this kind, probably because of the anniversary of the seizure of power.

In addition, many right-wing radicals in Italy feel on the upswing after the new Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of the post-fascist party »Brothers of Italy« took office.

She is partially committed to the legacy of the dictator.

Mussolini's great-granddaughter is celebrated

The organizers had warned participants not to show the "Roman salute" in which the right arm is raised - similar to the "Hitler salute".

But although they face criminal prosecution, many were carried away by the gesture.

Right-wing extremists also traveled to the event from other countries such as Belgium and the United States.

"After 100 years we are still here to pay respect to the man who wanted this state and we will not stop worshiping him," said the ruler's great-granddaughter, Orsola Mussolini, to cheers from the crowd.

She referred to numerous benefits that her great-grandfather had given to Italy.

Counter-demonstrators had already met in Predappio on Friday to celebrate the city's liberation day.

This prevented the fascists from gathering in the place on the exact anniversary of the fascists' march on Rome.

According to many observers, Italy has never managed to adequately deal with its fascist past.

This becomes particularly clear when Meloni takes power in Rome.

However, the head of government has recently condemned some of the dictator's actions.

She distanced herself from the anti-democratic nature of fascism and called the Italian "racial laws" a "low point."

On their basis, thousands of Italian Jews were sent to the concentration camps of the German National Socialists.

nis/AP