The images bring back sad memories. Italy's opposition leaders on Monday called for the dissolution of neo-fascist organizations after a video surfaced that appeared to show hundreds of people giving the fascist salute at a far-right rally in Rome.
Polemiche per i saluti romani alla commemorazione delle vittime della strage di Via Acca Larentia. Le opposizioni vanno all'attacco: "Una vergogna inaccettabile, sciogliere le organizzazioni neofasciste come prevede la Costituzione" pic.twitter.com/w7DKPyvZuP
— Tg3 (@Tg3web) January 8, 2024
"Rome, 7 January 2024. It's like 1924," when Italy was ruled by Benito Mussolini's National Fascist party, said Elly Schlein, leader of the center-left Democratic Party. "Neo-fascist organizations must be dissolved, as provided for in the constitution," she said.
Se gridi "Viva l'Italia antifascista" a teatro vieni identificato, se vai a un'adunata neofascista con saluti romani e striscioni invece no.
Piantedosi chiarisca come sia potuto accadere.
E Meloni non ha niente da dire?
— Elly Schlein (@ellyesse) January 8, 2024
The video, shot at night and published by Italian media, including the daily Corriere della Sera, shows hundreds of people dressed in black lined up and raising their arms three times in a fascist salute while shouting "present". AFP could not confirm the authenticity of the video on Monday evening.
Five Star Movement's Complaint
According to media reports, the scene took place in front of the former Rome headquarters of the Italian Social Movement (MSI), a party formed by Mussolini supporters after World War II, during the commemoration of the murder of two teenage members of the youth wing of the MSI, shot dead on January 7, 1978, during the "Years of Lead." The far left was held responsible but the investigation did not result in any convictions, while a third member of the MSI's youth wing died after being hit by a stray bullet during the ensuing riots.
Schlein called on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, leader of the post-fascist Fratelli d'Italia party, which emerged from the MSI, to condemn the incident. The Democratic Party also called on the government to disband neo-fascist groups and "thwart by all means the apologists of fascism." The opposition Five Star Movement (M5S) intends to file a complaint with the Rome prosecutor's office, according to the AGI news agency.
In a statement, Fratelli d'Italia condemned its rivals for "using the memory of the tragic death of three boys killed by communist hatred to carry out sinister propaganda."