In Rome, hundreds of people gave the fascist salute at a march. Italian Prime Minister Meloni has so far remained silent on this – and is therefore being attacked by the Jewish community
Noemi Di Segni doesn't like running in front of cameras and microphones. But now the rather reserved president of the Jewish communities in Italy has spoken out: to criticize the government and especially the silence of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni about the incidents at a funeral ceremony in Rome, when hundreds of right-wing extremists showed the fascist salute with his arms outstretched, called the Hitler salute in Germany.
Message from Di Segni to those responsible in Rome: “I appeal to all those in government positions to condemn this act.” The incident should be classified “as a dangerous homesickness”, said Di Segni, pointing out the responsibility needed today.
Unclear relationship with the fascist legacy
For Meloni, who began his political career in a neo-fascist organization, it is a painful criticism. Since the beginning of her mandate, the Prime Minister has clearly sought proximity to the Jewish community and has repeatedly condemned the persecution of Jews. But now Meloni is faced with the accusation that she remains silent because she still has an unclear relationship with the history of fascism.
For the first time since Meloni took office, the opposition aggressively made the Prime Minister's political past an issue in parliament. Elly Schlein, president of the Social Democratic PD, charged: “Prime Minister Meloni's silence is embarrassing. She does not condemn the incidents.” The head of government, Schlein judged, was “a prisoner of her past, from which she continues to refuse to distance herself”.
Debate requested in the European Parliament
Socialists requested that the European Parliament also debate the danger of neo-fascism across Europe, in light of the incident in Rome. The images of the Italian capital, says Schlein, are still haunting, even five days apart.
Hundreds of men, mostly young men dressed in fascist black, lined up militarily, shouting “present” (German: present), as was common in fascism. The Social Democrat considers it a frightening return to the dark past: “A true parade of hundreds of men, lined up like a battle line”. These are images, Schlein said in parliament, “that do not appear to be from 2024, but from 1924, full of the fascist regime”.
Complaints against those involved
According to media reports, the march in the Roman quarter of Tuscolano was organized by the neo-fascist organization Casapound – on the occasion of a memorial service for neo-fascist victims of left-wing terrorists in the late 1970s. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said in parliament that the police filed a criminal complaint against five Casapound members with the responsible Public Prosecutor's Office. Around 150 other march participants have been identified, including people from Germany and Russia.
In the evening, it was said that the Rome Public Prosecutor's Office had opened investigations against a total of 15 people. In Parliament, Piantedosi described the hundreds of arms raised in the fascist salute as “gestures and symbols that represent an era condemned by history”.
Discussions about bans and changes to the law
Meloni's Interior Minister rejected the opposition's demand to dismantle neo-fascist groups in Italy – citing, among other things, the legal difficulties involved and previous governments, which had never done anything to ban these organizations.
There is renewed discussion in Italy about whether laws on the so-called fascist salute are sufficient. The outstretched arm, also known as the Roman salute in Italy, is only punishable if it occurs in a context of sedition, for example with the aim of rebuilding the fascist party. In recent years, there have been several acquittals based on this legal situation – because the judges considered that the fascist salute was made in a non-criminal context.
The attempt by a Jewish deputy of the Social Democratic PD, six years ago, to ban the fascist salute in Italy, without exception, failed. The counter-speech to the proposed law was delivered in parliament by the current president of the Senate and Meloni's confidant, Ignazio La Russa. During his speech, he provocatively extended his arm in a fascist salute – and was never prosecuted for it.
Jörg Seisselberg, ARD Rome, tagesschau, January 11, 2024 7:44 pm