The post published by university professor Donatella Di Cesare following the death of former BR Barbara Balzerani sparked real chaos. Dozens of reactions and an avalanche of dismay have overwhelmed the profile of the professor of theoretical philosophy at La Sapienza University of Rome. “Your revolution was mine too. Different paths do not erase ideas. Reluctantly a farewell to my partner Luna”, she had written to greet the never-repentant former Scarlet Pimpernel. But that is not all. During the April 18 episode of DiTuesday, Di Cesare defined the Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida as “neo-Hitlerian”. These words cost her a defamation lawsuit. This was debated on Dimartedì, the politics and current affairs program hosted by Giovanni Floris.
After listening to the university professor’s version, Francesco Storace intervened. “I don’t want to spoil the atmosphere, but it gives me shivers”: this is the opening sentence. “I haven’t forgotten what you wrote. You object to a citizen who has an institutional role to sue not those who criticize him but those who offend him, because that’s what we’re talking about, and instead you offended all of us with that tweet about Balzerani”, he said, referring both to the term used towards minister Lollobrigida and to the nostalgic message intended for Balzerani. “I haven’t forgotten her. I haven’t yet understood whether the teacher regretted it. Did she regret it or did she claim this message?”, she asked.
“I have always condemned the violence of the red brigades, which stopped a democratic process. I think it was a huge mistake. At the same time, Italy was in the streets fighting for democracy with black shadows that were never dispelled”, she replied , distancing himself from the question. “Do you claim that tweet or not?”, the journalist urged her. “I take a phrase that Luciano Canfora said. A phrase from Heraclitus: you never bathe in the same river twice”, concluded Di Cesare.
