Livorno is anti-fascist!

We gladly receive and publish the press release from Azione Livorno Antifascista

On Thursday 2 May the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini came to Livorno to present one of his books, shamefully hosted inside the “4 Mori” cinema theater, a structure managed by the Port Workers Company, representing an insult to the history of this city and that of its workers, just after May Day.

Just think of the port reform and privatization that this minister and his government are carrying out to enrich shipowners at the expense of those who work.

Livorno is a city born on the values ​​of anti-racism and anti-fascism, where hatred towards what is different or new is not tolerated. A city that has grown thanks to migrant people, mocked and denigrated instead by right-wing parties such as the League, Brothers of Italy, but also by those parties that define themselves as “left-wing” despite never having provided real and tangible help to people landed in our ports.

Salvini, in addition to having been a supporter of racist, authoritarian and discriminatory policies (remember the Salvini decree, or the case of the Sea Watch), carries forward the same slogans that were exploited during the darkest period of our history, the regime fascist. God, homeland and family, three words that figures like Salvini, Vannacci and Meloni continually have in their mouths.

Salvini and by extension his party, represent that Italy which continues not to guarantee safe and controlled jobs, which sees funding cut to help centers for people subject to domestic violence but encourages the presence of “Pro Vita ” in the clinics. That country in which CPR and violence in detention centers are increasing (remember the recent case of Beccaria), in which funds for education and healthcare continue to be cut and more and more are spent instead on weapons and truncheons with in which those who choose to express their dissent are repressed.

In the same way, we cannot allow the presence of the minister who, with the initiative of the Italy of yes, actively supports major works starting from the drilling rigs up to the regasification terminals, from the bridge over the strait to the Tav. Works which amount to devastation of territories and unsustainable costs paid with citizens’ money.

We cannot tolerate that a person like Salvini, who has his hands stained with the blood of students who died in the PCTO, of workers who died at work, of people whose heads were smashed with truncheons, of women killed by men, healthy children of the system patriarchal supported by the League and neighboring parties, has the freedom to spread hateful words in a theater in our city.

For this Thursday 2 May, we have launched a procession as Azione Livorno Antifascista, demonstrating that this city is united and does not tolerate the presence of Salvini and his fascist, racist and discriminatory policies on every front.

Despite the rain and bad weather, more than 500 people, including temporary workers, students and various political groups, crossed the city, demonstrating intolerance (as was said in the newspapers), but towards those who as ministers have for years imposed misery, exploitation , racism and violence. Also present were numerous dockworkers, both in demonstration and in procession, workers among those most affected by Northern League policies and undoubtedly linked to the political history of the place where the presentation of the book was held.

First of all, we denounce a ridiculous deployment of law enforcement agencies, willing to defend a Minister who in the past, together with his party, contributed to the theft of 49 million in public funds, left hundreds of people to die at sea by blocking rescue ships in ports and has promoted and continues to promote repressive policies against those who express their dissent.

But despite the impressive display, Salvini was forced to sneak into the theater secretly through a secondary entrance, and spoke in front of a half-empty audience to demonstrate, once again, that the right in Livorno will also have some voters but not will ever have political viability.

The hypocrisy embodied by such a character does not represent Livorno nor the people of Livorno: yesterday Livorno was in the streets saying that it refuses to welcome politicians who regurgitate words of hate and will not allow Salvini to freely hold an electoral rally in favor of Vannacci in view of his candidacy for the European elections.

This is just the beginning of a Livorno that awakens and takes back its own spaces of belonging, NOT ONE STEP BACK!

Livorno Antifascist Action