They line up in military-like formation: a thousand strong, most dressed in black, some with tattoos on shaved scalps.
At the spot in Milan where Sergio Ramelli, a far-right student, was killed almost 50 years ago by anti-fascists, a leader summons his battalion of loyalists to attention. He shouts “camerata”, or “brother-in-arms”, and Ramelli’s name, as if delivering a roll-call. And then it comes: stiff right arms outstretched and raised, palms facing down, the fascist salute in the heart of Italy’s second city, and the crowd reply on the dead man’s behalf with a roar: “Present! Present! Present!”
It’s 2024, but this has frightening echoes of a century ago. While it may seem extraordinary to an outsider – and it was staggering to me, watching it close up – it is not out of the ordinary in Italy, where commemorations of this type take place every year.
Didn’t one of Mussolini’s descendants run for office in Italy recently?
2 of Mussolini’s descendants are in office. They also get mad if you bring up how their Grandad died and was subsequently strung up by his heels.
That sounds less “consigned to history” and more “we’re still into the idea.”
On the plus side they are part of two different parties. Ones right wing and the other is fascist. Which uh yeah. Not much of a plus really.
Yup and Meloni herself is an ideological descendant of him as well. Her party even has the same torch in their logo that’s on Mussolini’s tomb ffs!
So was polio, measles and American citizens supporting Russian politicians. Once you think something is history you are dealing with a whole population that is naive to it and the process starts all over again. The only thing we have successfully consigned to history is small pox.
Don’t fucking jinx it. Just don’t.
Of course a fascist who’s trying to deny that she’s the political granddaughter of Mussolini would say that there’s no fascism in Italy 🙄
it is not out of the ordinary in Italy, where commemorations of this type take place every year
It is, luckily. You usually find out from the news, it’s not like we are used to see such display going on day in and day out without taking notice.
To paraphrase GW “Fascism me once, shame on you. Fascism me twice? … Can’t get fascism-ed again!”
