ROME -- A brawl broke out in the Italian parliament on Wednesday after an MP was attacked trying to hand an Italian flag to a minister during a debate on differentiated autonomy. 

  Videos circulating of the event show MP for the 5 Star Movement (M5S), Leonardo Donno, trying to give the tricolour flag to the minister of Regional Affairs, Roberto Calderoli, while a controversial debate on differentiated autonomy was in progress. President of the Chamber, Lorenzo Fontana, sanctioned Donno’s action by expelling him from the room, which then seemed to transform into a boxing ring. 

  Members of the right then descended from their benches, launching a physical attack on members of the M5S. Notably League MP Igor Iezzi pushed through the crowd and repeatedly attempted to hit Donno in the head, who later fell to the ground and left the chamber in a wheelchair with paramedics. 

  Andrea Orlando, member of the Democratic Party (PD), explained that Donno had been “attacked and punched, and while on the ground was kicked by members of the League and the Brothers of Italy.” 

  Donno himself spoke to reporters following the scuffle, giving his version of events. “I couldn’t understand during the confusion, but Iezzi, Candiani, Cangiano and Amich, members of the League and Brothers of Italy, tried and succeeded in striking me with kicks and punches.”

  “I came down from the benches to give the Italian flag to Minister Calderoli and he did what, refuse it? A minister that refuses the tricolour flag?” Donno added.

  Before the chaos, League MP Domenico Furgiuele was also expelled from the chamber for making the sign of the Decima Mas, crossing his arm to form an X. The gesture was viewed as a tribute to the navy fleet from the Second World War, who were responsible for crimes under Nazi-fascism. The league MP gestured towards the opposition bench who had been singing Bella Ciao, an Italian protest song symbolic of resistance.

  In an attempt to justify his actions, Furgiuele explained, “On the X factor they make the X sign to say no, can I do what I want? If I want to put a vote on the ballot paper, can I put the X symbol? The provocation was answered with a gesture that could not be provocative, in a context where the voice of those singing was louder.” 

  Following the incident, the M5S condemned the attack as an “extremely serious and shameful fact. We ask for serious and immediate measures against this real act of squadrism perpetuated within the institution which besmirches our democracy and characterises those who have done it.” 

  Head of the PD, Elly Schlein commented on Wednesday’s events in parliament. “First there was the injunction to keep quiet our MP Chiara Braga, then an MP was expelled for making the sign of the Decima Mas three times and finally the very violent physical assault on an M5S MP with repeated punches.” 

lw