TURIN. Protest action this morning by some Extinction Rebellion activists in front of the entrances to the Turin Book Fair. Environmentalists have positioned two boats close to the entrance reserved for journalists and speakers, with the aim of drawing attention to the flood in Emilia Romagna. Then they unfurled a banner that read “Climate and Ecological Emergency”. Twelve activists have been identified by Digos.
It is a matter, say the environmentalists, of “a new protest action, which follows the peaceful protest against the Minister of Family and Natality, Eugenia Roccella, which took place yesterday afternoon in a climate of tension fueled by the minister herself, by the regional councilor Marrone and by the deputy Augusta Montaruli. With today’s action, Extinction Rebellion is instead addressing the guests and participants in the Salone so that they can use their voice to denounce the responsibilities of our government in the face of the tragedies that are already affecting our territory today», explains Davide, one of the activists present. “The dead in Emilia Romagna implore us to remove the blindfolds from our eyes and demand change from our governments.”
Eugenia Roccella: “An anti-democratic attack against me who was looking for dialogue”
Claudia Louise
But it is on the blitz against Roccella that a trail of controversy stretches. The right goes on the attack of Elly Schlein: «In a democracy one must take into account that there is dissent, it is in things it does not concern only those in power – he said yesterday – We are for the hard, heated confrontation but the problem this government has with any form of dissent is surreal.
Roccella disputed, Schlein: “Authoritarian government, has a problem with dissent”
Words that trigger the offensive of the right. “The declarations of Elly Schlein on the squadrist act with which Minister Roccella was prevented from presenting his book at the Turin Salon are even more serious than the action of those troublemakers” attacks the president of the senators of the Brothers of Italy, Lucio Malan. «The problem is of method. Attacks on free speech always come from the left. This is the fascism of the anti-fascists but it is fascism» says Roccella.
And in the afternoon, the words of the mayor of Turin, Stefano Lo Russo, also arrived, expressing his solidarity with Minister Roccella and ping over the outgoing director of the Salone Nicola Lagioia: «As was said very clearly at the inauguration, the Salone del Libro is a bipartisan place where all opinions have always found space, even when they may be uncomfortable. This is the very essence of the Salone, a place where culture is produced and ideas are exchanged. As mayor, I can only express my solidarity with you for the unfortunate episode that prevented you from expressing your opinion. I am sorry for this objection and I repeat that obviously Minister Roccella, like all the other representatives of the Government, is always welcome for when she wants to return to Turin during subsequent appointments ».
In the corridors of the Lingotto some moments of tension also for the protest of a No Vax against Antonella Viola.
Nicola Lagioia: “I was the victim of Montaruli’s violent attack. Serious that the institutions treat a writer like this”
Mario Baudino
