The mayor of Bologna, Matteo Leporereturns to yesterday’s demonstrations in the Emilian capital and on clash between antagonists and social centers against the policefor the attempt of the first to reach a procession of Pound House. “I wonder how it is possible once again that Bologna is not respected: tomorrow President Meloni will be in the city together with various government representatives. I mean that they sent us 300 black shirtswe would still like to ask the flood fundsi infrastructure fundsi funds for law enforcement, that are needed to do the work on the right to safety in our city, i healthcare fundsthe right to housing”. The mayor said this on the sidelines of the commemoration of80th anniversary of the battle of Porta Lame, responding to a question from journalists about yesterday’s demonstrations in the Emilian capital. Battle which for Lepore is “one of the most important battles in Europe, to represent what the partisans did for the Liberation of Italy and our city”. Adding that “serious things” happened in Bologna on Saturday 9 November, Matteo Lepore underlined that “it was important to be there, even after yesterday”.
The facts
It was supposed to be the last Saturday of the electoral campaign, yesterday in Bologna, but the candidates’ appeals and programs left room for demonstrations and clashes with the police. It was a particular day, feared for days, ever since a demonstration by the Patriots Network and Casapound was authorized for the afternoon, against the will of the Municipality, which should have ended in Piazza XX Settembre, a few steps from the central station . A circumstance that mobilized the Bolognese anti-fascist networkwho defined a demonstration by openly neo-fascist groups near the station where the demonstration took place as a provocation massacre of August 2, 1980implemented by black terrorism.
In the morning the ANPI organized a demonstration in Piazza del Nettuno, in front of the partisans’ shrine in which the leaders of the Democratic Party and the Italian Left participated, Elly Schlein and Nicola Fratoianniand exponents of the 5 Star Movement. The right-wing demonstration then started in the afternoon, hit by insults and liquids thrown from the windows of the streets it was crossing. But she stopped behind the police cordon in riot gear at the entrance to the square in front of the train station where, in the meantime, many people had gathered who were singing Hello beautiful and they threw insults towards the procession. He also started from the center the procession of student collectives who, when he attempted to get closer to make contact with the far-right demonstrators, clashed with the police. Three policemen were slightly injured.
The mayor: “We were all against it – Municipality, prefect, police commissioner -, there would have been public order problems”
“I believe it is serious – underlines Lepore – that those who have the responsibility of managing public order allowed 300 people dressed in black shirts to enter our city and parade in front of the station”, where the massacre took place of August 2. “We – the mayor of Bologna recalls – were against it and had asked that this thing not be done also because it would have created problems of public order and would have put the safety of many people at risk. And as we saw yesterday, unfortunately, this happened. I think someone needs to take on this responsibility. In the Public Order Committee, talking about it with the prefect and the deputy commissioner and with all the representatives of the police force, there was opposition to carry out this event in Piazza XX Settembre. Then evidently – concludes Lepore – someone from Rome called and things changed”.
Clashes between the police and the antagonists in Bologna (handle)
Lepore: “I expect the prime minister to tell Bologna tomorrow what we can do to fix the metropolitan area after the flood”
“I expect that tomorrow President Meloni, instead of commenting on the riots and getting away with little, will tell the city of Bologna what we can together to put the entire metropolitan area that was hit by the flood in order” Lepore underlines again referring to the visit of the prime minister, announced for Monday November 11thin the Emilian capital; the Prime Minister will be together with the other leaders of the centre-right parties to support the candidate Elena Ugolini see you next time regional elections in Emilia Romagna on Sunday 17 November.
In the reactions of the centre-right, after the clashes between exponents of the social centers and the police, was there an exploitation for political ends?, they ask the mayor of Bologna: “Exactly in the middle” of the visits of the main government ministers and of President Meloni “the Patriots and Casa Pound are arriving. Let’s say – continues Lepore, quoting Andreotti – that it is a sin to think badly… In any case, public order should not have been managed this wayI believe that the Ministry of the Interior must give explanations to the city of Bologna on this.”
Matteo Lepore, mayor of Bologna (gettyimages)
Lega: “Lepore doesn’t talk about the violence to the police.” Deidda (FdI): “No conviction against the violent men who attacked the police”
“But is Lepore serious? The mayor of Bologna he rants and talks about black shirts, but he doesn’t even deign to express solidarity with the attacked police forces yesterday from the anti-fascist march. Is violence intolerable only if it comes from the right? Think about not letting the city you manage go under water and about the real problems of the Bolognese, if you are able to do so” declares the Emilian member of the League, Davide Bergamini. “Still no condemnation from the left against the violent men who attacked the police in Bologna. There are injuries and there is talk of clashes but it is wrong because it is a systematic aggression and the motivations are always the same, whether there is Casa Pound, the League, Fratelli d’Italia, Forza Italia or recently, the Jewish Brigade. Those who do not think like the violent and left-wing antagonists must expect an attack and only thanks to the police do no contacts take place but the police themselves pass through, to whom our solidarity goes. Does the left justify violence against the police?” increases the dose Salvatore DeiddaFdI deputy.
The League’s member of the European Parliament is also calling for a hard line against social centres Roberto Vannacci: “I agree fully Minister Salvini’s initiative to make these shameful violent people non-harmful for the democratic life of society” says the former soldier. “In recent years, social centers have been at the center of violent episodes and transgressive actions that go beyond the boundaries of legality. Places often occupied illegallywhere people deal and sell illegally, where violent actions are instigated and where do troublemakers who act against the most basic norms of common life come from” argues the MEP elected from the League. “The shameful images that come from Bologna corroborate this cross-section of reality” underlines the former head of Folgore. “We want to live in peace and free without the fear of being able to express our ideas, because they are threatened by hordes of violent people of the worst kind”.
