Fears in Rome and Macerata over protest clashes

ROME – Tensions will be high in Rome on Saturday as three separate events are planned in the city by far-right and -left groups, according to Il Messaggero.

 From 4pm CasaPound, the neo-fascist political party, will hold a procession from Laurentina station and along Via Sinigaglia before arriving in the Piazza Giuliani e Dalmati. It is part of their Day of Remembrance for victims of the “Foibe,” the name for the killing of Italian civilians and soldiers by Yugoslav partisans in the final two years of World War Two.

 Another neo-fascist group, Azione Frontale will then hold a torchlight procession and sit-in from 6pm in the Torre Angela park. They hope to have the park named after a 13-year-old killed by Partisans in 1945.

 Against Azione Frontale, a number of antifascist groups such as Anpi Rome, Aned Rome, Arci Rome and Cgil Rome and Lazio will form an “anti-fascist garrison” at Tor Bella Monaca.    

 There are serious security concerns for the day against the backdrop of events in the city of Macerata, where the arrest of a Nigerian man on murder charges triggered a neo-fascist gunman to fire on migrants in supposed retaliation.  

 Meanwhile in Macerata itself the mayor has closed the schools on Saturday with fears rising over protests from left and right in the city. It follows scuffles and protests in the city on Thursday.

 Both right and left demonstrators had in fact been denied permission to march on Saturday by local authorities. However, the fgar-right Forza Nuova and antifascist, ANPI Nazionale, have both stated that they will defy the ban to take to the streets anyway.

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