«While we are here talking, I received two more emails. Since this morning alone there have been ten, and in all of them they wish death on me and my family. I don’t leave the house, I’m afraid something might happen to me.”
Thus he begins on the telephone Massimo Zucchettifull professor of Polytechnic in the aftermath of his post on Facebook: «Does their fuhrein need soldiers to defend democracy? Well, soon 22 more to send to the slaughterhouse.”
The message – written later the match of the European Championships Ukraine Romania – was removed, but the news went around the web. The name «Massimo Zucchetti» he is “currently the most popular” on social media, and his candidacy for the 2015 Nobel Prize for Physics has little relevance. Among the accusations, the comment that weighs most: «Ukrainians annoy me just by looking at them. They need to get out of there…as soon as possible”, after the 3-0 win last Monday evening.
The profile closed and the apologies
«I apologize. I closed my profile. My words were excessive – announces the professor -. I have nothing against the Ukrainian people, nor against those 22 players.” So why that statement about Ukraine? «I said a solemn stupidity because I’m a football fanatic. I said it on my personal page, not on my professor one – explains Zucchetti -. I was misunderstood. Of course I don’t like that this government supports Zelensky’s government. What I wanted to express is a attack on war in general and the Zelensky government. I said that these 22 must be careful because if they return to their homeland they will be sent to the slaughterhouse too. I certainly didn’t wish death on anyone. An incredible mud machine has started which shows us that no one can express a personal opinion.”
Chained with the pro-Palestine supporters at the gate of the Polytechnic
The question then arises spontaneously: why? «The students of the Palestinian Intifada are dismayed because they think it’s their fault since I took their defense. But it takes much more, I just have to make sure that I don’t have any problems for myself or my family” explains Zucchetti, who in recent days had chained himself to the gates of the Polytechnic in support of the Palestinian cause. «From there a clockwork maneuver began. They started surveilling my Facebook page. So in my private life – continues the professor -. First of all I was wrong. The fact that some right-wingers are attacking me is a medal for me. I was even more disappointed that the rector was involved. And he was right to dissociate himself.”
From Meloni to Vespa to No Tav
In profile, under accusation, there is also an ambiguous photo of Meloni with Rocco Siffredi: «I certainly didn’t take that photo», is the teacher’s response. Also among the posts we read that he defines Bruno Vespa as «a bootlicker. I’m very happy that he came out – replies Zucchetti -. Joke. We always talk about a post on Facebook. They’re wishing that they’d kill me, that a bomb would fall on my head.” In 2021 Zucchetti was at the center of another controversial case, when again on Facebook, after a demonstration No Tav of which he was one of the promoters, had seriously offended and threatened a girl who was in favor of the construction sites. Even in that case an apology arrived (the next day).
And returning to the Ukrainian question, «I collaborate with the Ukrainian people. Indeed with the philosopher Noam Chomsky in 2022 we proposed a peace program. We have proposed peace negotiations to be held at the nuclear power plant since it is a place that neither the Russians nor the Ukrainians intend to bomb. It would be the first situation in which they would find themselves sitting at a table. This was and continues to be my attitude.”
And now? “I apologized. For a few days I will work remotely – concludes Zucchetti -. I will report the threatening letters I am receiving even if lawyers are expensive. I’m not that much of a hero. I am afraid”.
The Academic Senate: «Professor to be removed»
However, the official position also arrived in the morning Academic Senate. In a note the university body reiterated «that it defends the right to express opinions, even the most controversial and radical, with the sole limit of the law and regulations.
At the same time, the Senate wanted to forcefully highlight the unacceptability and seriousness of the professor’s statements. Zucchetti with respect to the Ukrainian situation, detrimental to the values that animate the Polytechnic community, as well as the verbal violence with which they were expressed. It also deplores his offensive judgments towards colleagues and institutions, always published via his social channels”
The conclusion? «The Academic Senate, in expressing full solidarity with the Ukrainian people in this moment of profound suffering, also asked the Rector with a large majority to remove the prof. Zucchetti from any appointment of the University, as well as initiate appropriate investigations for any disciplinary proceedings.»
Meanwhile, “Solidarity” with the professor was expressed in a note from the section Communist Refoundation of Turin. «Zucchetti – it is noted in a statement – has sympathized with the students who are mobilizing in support of the Palestinian people by chaining themselves to the entrance of the Polytechnic» and «from that moment on, every sentence of his is deliberately misunderstood and interpreted in a negative sense» in way to attack “the figure of an intellectual who has always been committed to the defense of the weak and the exploited”. «As for the statement on Ukraine, it was aimed at highlighting the risk that the Ukrainian players themselves, once they return, could be sent to fight a useless war, which has already cost thousands of deaths»
