Giuseppe Cruciani, what happened in Turin on Tuesday? You were doing your show «Via Crux» and then?
«I had started that part of the show dedicated to green follies a couple of minutes ago. From a central area of the audience, two girls – plus a reporter with a mobile phone – stand up with a banner in their hands, and start shouting the usual phrases, which they couldn’t even hear well.”
What were they shouting?
«But what do I know, they had it in for hydrocarbons»
And then?
«They approached, went on stage, unfurled a banner. Then they started talking but nothing could be understood. One of them was Myriam Falco, a well-known activist, who by the way had a clip of her that is part of my show. I didn’t quite understand whether she was also protesting against herself.”
And you?
«I pointed out that we couldn’t understand anything of what they were saying and I offered to tell her the things they wanted to say, because I know them anyway, and since I’m better than them I could say them better»
Were people protesting?
«Yes, but no one approached the stage. And no one insulted them. They just expressed annoyance. They rightly wanted to see my show for which they had paid for the ticket.”
And them?
«At a certain point they came down and sat on the ground. I tried to restart the show. But they continued to shout.”
How long did this drama last?
«About twenty minutes. At a certain point I had the police called, but before them Roberto Vannacci arrived, whom I had invited since he was also in Turin.”
And how did it end?
«After a while they came out, amid general jubilation»
Explain this to me. They shout: there is censorship, there is censorship. But they do the censorship. For a couple of years this idea has been around that even a small group of people can speak out to anyone they want. Is that so?
«Let’s say that talking is no longer enough. They have to stop talking to you. Some extremist groups are pampered by the less extremist.”
Meaning what?
«Well the official left formally condemns it, but then says that those who protest must be protected because they have the right to protest. They want to keep them happy, they want their votes.”
But what do you think should be done? Is the protest legitimate or not?
«Of course it’s legitimate. Everyone can express his opinions. And they have all the means to do it. They are given space on television, in newspapers, there are social media. I say: once upon a time, environmentalists didn’t have all these opportunities to express themselves. So? Then it’s not enough for him anymore. They want to shock. They want to prevent. Prevent others from saying things: to Molinari, to Parenzo, to Capezzone. They think it’s legitimate.”
What do you think of them?
«They are a small sect of privileged extremists because they live in the West. Like the children of the rich who are born in cotton wool but refuse to accept who they are.”
Do they know they don’t risk anything?
“Yes. It is rare that they are punished. In other countries they would be punished more severely. A sentence recently came out in Bologna in which extenuating circumstances were granted for a road block because the noble motives were recognised.”
Is the show going on?
«Yes, next week in Milan»
