There are ten North African kids coming out of McDonald’s while the authorities speak from the stage of the Cathedral and the hard wing of the pro-Palestine movement tries to break through the barriers. The square is full and the Jewish Brigade, which arrived an hour after the interventions began, remained there, in front of the fast food restaurant. The attack is sudden and unexpected, because the “Maranza” are not part of the pro-Palestine demonstrators. But when they see the Star of David flags, they start insulting the protesters. One of them takes off his shirt and kicks. Then the smallest – light trousers and white jacket – takes a knife from a pocket and cuts part of the banner. No one in the crowd notices the blade.
The stab wounds
City angels volunteers intervene who escort the Jewish Brigade. But the attack starts again. It is at that moment that with a quick gesture the boy takes the knife back, looks around several times, and when Davide, an Israeli sympathizer, tries to kick him away, he raises his hand and hits him. The wound on his left forearm is not deep, but is about ten centimeters long. The victim notices it a few seconds later. A volunteer was also slightly injured in the cheek by a flag pole.
“They have no political affiliations”
In the end the police and carabinieri manage to stop four boys. Others come identified shortly afterwards thanks to the videos. The bill is nine reported for incitement to racial hatred. The knife was also seized. They are adults and minors, all second generation North Africans. None of them have “political affiliations”, they are not part of movementsthey are young people who they spend the afternoon among fast food restaurants and the downtown stores. Sometimes attacking or robbing peers. They probably know very little about what is happening in the Gaza Strip, but the Palestine issue seems to act as an identity glue between second (and third) generations.
Street and street agitators
Just as the demonstrators who from below the stage rail all the time against those who speak into the microphone are very young. They are the “Young Palestinians”, the rebel wing of the front against Israel. With them some old tools from the square: agitators from the social centres, from the grassroots unions, from the antagonistic and anarchist wing. They manage to steal the show on April 25th. Because they place themselves under the stage from midday on with the excuse of a garrison. Then they try to “push” on the barriers, to gain space. First, the ANPI law enforcement volunteers try to contain them. Then the police departments must intervene with the officers who repel the assault with shields and truncheons. Shots from flagpoles fly (some have pickaxe handles), a bottle, several smoke bombs and a firecracker. Fortunately, the toll is without injuries, but the clashes are violent. As hadn’t been seen for decades.
And tension on this April 25th also in Rome where in the morning at Porta San Paolo, in a double garrison, pro-Palestinians and the Jewish Brigade faced each other for a long time between insults and throwing (cans of corn). Two journalists hit by a stone throw from the Israeli front and slightly injured.
