MILAN – Almost 1,500 neo-fascists gathered in Via Paladini to remember the Youth Front activist Sergio Ramelli by making a stiff armed Roman salute, officials say.

 After a service at the church of San Nereo and Achilleo in Viale Argonne on Sunday, the procession reached Via Paladini where Ramelli’s tombstone is located.

 The far right gathering responded to the cry “present” with a stiff armed Roman salute, despite fears of possible judicial consequences. This was repeated three times. Flowers were also placed in front of Ramelli’s plaque.

 In March 1975, Mr. Ramelli was attacked by militants linked to the far-left organisation Avanguardia Operaia when he was returning home. He died 48 days later on 29 April.

 Representatives from Casapound, Forza Nuova, Lealtà e Azione, Skinheads and Dodici Raggi were seen marching in the parade.

 The rally was also in memory of Carlo Borsani and Enrico Pedenovi, who met similarly tragic ends. Pedenovi, who was an MSI provincial councillor, was shot dead by the far-left terrorist group Prima Linear while in his car. Borsani was a World War II militant who was executed in 1945 by a group of partisans.

 The square was full of police and carabinieri who were monitoring the area after what happened last year, when hundreds of neo-fascists gathered in Campo X in the Cemetery of Milan, where they sang hymns and made the Roman salute. This year the police decided to close three of the five entrances to the Cemetery and monitor the two remaining open ones.

 The rally ended without incident.