A Palestinian flag waving on the dome of the Cathedral. Pavia woke up like this yesterday. It was a woman who was passing by bike in Piazza della Vittoria who looked up and noticed the detail. She immediately notified the parish priest of the cathedral, Don Gian Pietro Maggi, who in turn called the police. Digos is working on the case to identify the perpetrators of the gesture. In the meantime, a group of rock climbing workers, specialized in high-altitude interventions, intervened and removed the flag. But one wonders how it was possible to reach one of the highest points of the dome and tie the banner with ropes. It is possible that the climber climbed the external walls passing through the bell tower to reach the third largest dome in Italy, after those of San Pietro and Florence. However, it could also have passed from the inside, knowing the route to take.
While we are trying to understand how the Palestinian flag could have been displayed, the photograph has gone viral and there has been no shortage of comments. “A beautiful gesture of solidarity with the Palestinian people” was said in a post in which the Palestinian embassy in Italy was also tagged, which he thanked. Many others criticized the gesture which offended their sensibilities: “It would not have been allowed in an Islamic state.” Even the senator of the League, Gian Marco Centinaio, vice president of the Senate, intervened: “If the bishop decided to hoist the flag of Palestine on the bell tower of the Cathedral that’s one thing, if someone did it without authorization a complaint should be filed. in the meantime the rectorate is still “okkupato“”. Three weeks ago also in Milan a Palestinian flag was posted on the main facade of the Duomo. In that case the two Green militants Stefano Apuzzo and Francesco Fortinguerra had claimed responsibility for the gesture.
In Pavia there has not yet been a claim. The city councilors of the League Daniele Comini and Eugenia Marchetti speak of “outraging a symbol of the city and of Christianity, as well as a reference for culture and art at a national level and a punch in the stomach to all the people of Pavia”. And they ask mayor Michele Lissia and his majority to “break the ambiguity on the Palestine question and to dismantle the protest taking place in the university”.
