OfDavide Soattin
Twenty-six were accused of racial hatred after a birthday party. But for the Prosecutor’s Office it was an evening halfway between joking and very bad taste
No propaganda, but just a birthday party that started badly and ended worse, halfway between joking and terrible taste. The «Bravi Ragazzi» investigation thus begins to be closed, which, coordinated by the Ferrara Prosecutor’s Office, had placed twenty-six young people under investigation who organized and participated in a dinner that took place on 22 December 2023 at the «La Fraschetta» restaurant in via Carlo Mayr. The men dressed in orange jumpsuits inspired by Guantanamo inmates and the women by sexy policewomen.
Dinner
On that occasion, the suspects distributed leaflets praising Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler and they sang racist and anti-Semitic chants against women, migrants, the victims of crime cases such as Yara Gambirasio and of mockery of the fallen of Nassiriya and the chief inspector Filippo Raciti, killed during the riots of the Catania-Palermo derby on 2 February 2007. A waitress who was working in the restaurant that day was was called “Fiona May” because of the color of her skin in racist tones, while a restaurant patron who asked them to stop was threatened with the gesture of cutting the throat. Furthermore, the birthday boy would have climbed onto a chair and pulled down his trousers, showing everyone his genitals, then punching the bathroom door and breaking some glasses. Not happy, when the state police officers arrived, some boys continued to praise Benito Mussolini.
The investigations
Initially the twenty-six were investigated for accusations of apologia for fascism, propaganda and incitement to racial hatred, contempt of the armed forces and aggravated threats, as well as for obscene acts in a public place. In February Digos carried out a series of searches in the domiciles of young people – many of whom are linked to the world of gymnastics and rugby, including two athletes from the Fiamme Oro – with the aim of investigating any links with far-right formations, parties or groups, which however gave negative results, despite the fact that some of the twenty-six were found in possession of nostalgic memorabilia such as holy cards, collectible calendars and sticks with the effigy of the Duce on them. Hence the decision to proceed with the request for dismissal by prosecutor Ciro Alberto Savino, which did not recognize in the behavior of the young people, even though they were stigmatised, the necessary elements to fundamentally support an accusation in court. Specifically, therefore, no trace of material for propaganda purposes that instigated racial hatred or planned the reconstitution of the dissolved fascist party. More than anything, what happened, according to the investigators, should be considered as a vulgar attempt to attract attention with obscene and vulgar behavior, exacerbated by alcohol with the aim of creating a sense of disgust, repulsion and disturbance in the other diners, without any kind of shame.
The interrogations
The same goes for the chants of contempt towards the armed forces, for which it did not emerge who had uttered them, archived as they were considered an end in themselves and incapable of influencing others (a circumstance which would instead have been necessary to contest the crime), while obscene acts in public places have been decriminalized. Finally, as regards the threats, the alleged victim chose not to report it. Furthermore, in the various interrogations, the twenty-six apologized and said they regretted what happened, showing a worrying ignorance and historical illiteracy regarding the names, facts or victims of the choirs sung in the club. The matter will now land on the desk of investigating judge Carlo Negri who will have to decide whether or not to accept the reading of the facts advanced by the Prosecutor’s Office.
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June 8, 2024 (changed June 8, 2024 | 4:56 pm)
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