Over the past decade, Europe saw a political shift to the far-right. Italy is not excluded from this phenomenon which saw Matteo Salvini gaining power in just a few years, and almost becoming the Prime Minister. He will soon visit London. Not many are happy with it and they will let him know next 3rd of March.
Nathan Raia
The leader of the Italian party La Lega [the Union] and former Interior Minister, is now under investigation on possible kidnapping charges.
The Senate has voted and approved the request of the court in Catania to proceed with the process. Matteo Salvini is accused of kidnapping 131 migrants because last year he prevented them from landing on the Coast Guard ship Gregoretti. The migrants had been saved by the Gregoretti from drowning in the Mediterranean. Salvini seems determined to face the trial, which he will use as political propaganda to gain more votes at the next elections. But it might result in a prison sentence if he is found guilty and he would need to pay thousands of euros in fines.
Moreover, in less than two years he has been investigated five times, he has an ongoing trial, he has received dozens of lawsuits for defamation and instigation of threat and his League party is under investigation for allegations of corruption.
While the famous Berlusconi’s legal troubles were primarily related to his private life, Salvini’s are all relative to his political activity, which he has always justified by saying that he was working for the good of the country.
Matteo Salvini will visit London and Liverpool in March.
In response, Unite Against Fascism, Fire Brigades Union, Stand Up To Racism and LoveMusic HateRacism, will host the event “Stop far-right Salvini in London!” to oppose his presence in the British capital.
As the organisers said “No venue should host Salvini. London is a proudly, multicultural city with great anti-fascist traditions. Should he visit, anti-fascists will seek to emulate the Sardines movement who are mass-mobilising against Salvini, across Italy”.
Salvini supports other European far-right politicians such as Le Pen, of the National Rally in France, the anti-Semitic Prime Minister Orban, in Hungary, Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and the extreme right FPO in Austria. He has also quoted fascists such as Ezra Pound and tweeted the words “Tanti nemici, tanto onore” in English “So many enemies, so much honour”. The last Italian politician to have said something similar was the dictator Benito Mussolini saying: “Molti nemici, molto onore.
And now Salvini will visit the United Kingdom: he is set to speak in London, next month, on March 3rd, and then in Liverpool on March 28th.
And it’s important to remember that the ex Deputy Prime Minister –say the organisers- is notorious for anti-immigrant and anti-Roma racism. He has called for a ‘mass cleansing’ of Italy.
Weyman Bennett, joint secretary of Unite against Fascism , has declared: “Unite Against Fascism is angered to hear that the far-right Salvini is set to visit. He is part of the international far-right and organises with those who promote Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. We urge all anti-fascists to mobilise in London and Liverpool. Unity is strength”.
Date and place: Tuesday, 3rd of March 2020, from 6.30 pm. until 9.30 pm. in Piccadilly Circus, London, United Kingdom. For further information, visit the Facebook event page.
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