The Pride procession with its eleven colorful floats started at 3pm from Via Roma and will wind through the streets of the city until reaching the Zisa cultural sites, but the demonstration of pride, freedom and against every form of prejudice, not only sexual par excellence, has never been the subject of very harsh attacks from the Right, in particular from the Brothers of Italy, more than this year. If the regional councilor for Productive Activities Edy Tamajo – certainly not a communist, but an exponent of Forza Italia – clearly says that “Pride has no political colour” and invites not only to participate but thanks “the organizers and the entire LGBTQIA+ community of the city that fights for a less violent and more modern city”, the Palermo FdI deputy Carolina Varchi states instead bluntly that “Pride is now an ideological demonstration of the Left” and assures that “none of Pride’s demands will ever become law “. Sabrina Figuccia, leader of the League in the Council, even speaks of a demonstration that “verges on the crime of obscene acts in a public place”.
L’Arcigay: “They want us in crematoriums or in prison”
A climate of conflict, therefore, which is affected by the attacks on the demonstration at a national level. “The limit for us has already been full for a long time, yet this Melonian Right strikes us daily with regurgitations of the Twenty Years and crusades of hatred”, declared Gabriele Piazzoni, general secretary of Arcigay, explaining that “the now former candidate for mayor of Torre del Greco, Carmine Alfano, wants us in the crematoriums and if anyone asks him to account for what he says, he replies that it is ‘goliardy’, stuff that is intended to entertain, even make people laugh. Meanwhile in Parliament the competition to create quibbles continues to imagine the incarceration of homosexuals.” And he added: “For the League, gays who have used surrogate motherhood should be put in prison for up to ten years. They couldn’t wait, one might think, because given the context, prison for homosexuals would seem to be the objective and not the contrast to a practice of procreation. This Right is scary, we won’t tire of saying it: it toyed with the practices of Nazi-fascism and imagines a world of fathers in prison for the sole fact of being fathers and homosexuals”.
Varchi (FdI): “None of their demands will ever be law”
Varchi does not deny these declarations, but rather, with a post on Facebook, he escalates the issue: “Pride is now an ideological demonstration of the left. To the exponents of the centre-right coalition and the organizers who will participate, I guarantee that none of the demands of Pride will ever become law, as we promised our voters when we stood for election. Indeed, we are working on measures that go in a direction contrary to the LGBT ideology, such as the establishment of the universal crime of surrogacy.”
Russo and Rini (FdI): “They are only doing propaganda, the Municipality’s patronage is wrong”
The deputy is echoed by FdI senator Raoul Russo and the city and provincial secretary of Giorgia Meloni’s party, Antonio Rini: “Pride is a political demonstration of the Left that exploits the theme of rights to make propaganda. Intentions that, like the Brothers of ‘Italy, we cannot agree and we note, with surprise, the invitation of other centre-right political forces to take part, especially if, as in Palermo, rights are used to trample on those of the city. If a trader had defaced the stripes pedestrians (in the photo below), as happened today in front of the Teatro Massimo monument, fines would have been issued immediately. Evidently someone thinks they can be above the law, talking about rights, for this reason to the granting of the patronage of the Municipality of Palermo to a politically oriented and ideologically divisive demonstration”.
Councilor Tamajo: “Participate, it helps make the city less violent and more modern”
Words that seem to be addressed precisely to Tamajo who instead clearly sided in favor of the demonstration: “Pride has no political color, it is a fundamental moment to claim the rights of everyone regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or any another personal characteristic. Pride is a celebration in favor of a more equal community and a call for equality and social justice, it is an opportunity to reiterate that every person must be free to live their life without discrimination and with equal opportunities “. Tamajo wanted to thank those who make Pride possible in Palermo, from the organizers to the volunteers, and extended a special greeting to the LGBTQ+ community and wishing “a peaceful and joyful Pride, I invite citizens to participate with a spirit of solidarity and sharing: together we can build a more equitable and inclusive society”.
Figuccia (Lega): “But what are everyone’s rights, they are obscene acts in a public place”
Sabrina Figuccia, leader of the League in the City Council, has a totally (and inevitably) contrary opinion: “I don’t understand how Pride can be celebrated as a demonstration for everyone’s rights, when it is completely clear that rights have nothing to do with it.” It is a demonstration that I would define as picturesque and decidedly out of place because the rights of all those who would not want to witness what often border on the crime of ‘obscene acts in a public place’ are often affected.” And he adds: “Rights have to do with completely different places and ways, as does the pride of claiming them. Furthermore, I do not agree with the Lagalla administration’s choice to sponsor initiatives like these, nor that of other apparently centre-right parties who would like roll out red carpets to the same Left with which they are allied in other contexts.”
Lima (Pd): “Necessary mobilization, we are on the right side of history”
Along the same lines, although certainly not by political affiliation, is Sergio Lima, member of the regional secretariat of the Sicily Democratic Party and of the national direction, who is participating in the Pride: “A rainbow river crosses Palermo today. It is a Pride of celebration and fight, even more necessary in a country that is slipping back in the rankings and that looks more to Hungary on rights than to the advanced democracies in the EU. Istat data shows that more than one LGBTIQ+ person in 4 has suffered discrimination at work, the news continues. to present us with cases of violence and aggression, there are still too many and intolerable episodes of homophobia in our communities. This is why we need Pride and – he concludes – constant mobilization to defend rights, which have never been definitively acquired, and to conquer new ones The Democratic Party is and will be on the right side of history. In Palermo as in Sicily, supporting the right demands of the movement.”
Chinnici (Let’s work for Palermo): “It’s a party, sterile controversies from those looking for space in the newspapers”
Dario Chinnici, group leader of Work for Palermo in the City Council, goes straight to the point and rejects the attacks: “The choice of the mayor of Palermo, Roberto Lagalla, to grant the Municipality’s patronage to Pride is profoundly consistent with its history and that of this city that has always been on the side of rights for all and for everyone. We thank the mayor for confirming the administration’s position which reflects that of the people of Palermo, despite the usual controversies. Pride is first and foremost a celebration, a moment of participation and sharing that has no political color. Obscene, if anything, are certain controversies on the part of those who try to carve out a space for themselves in the newspapers”.
