Reportage
Draghi goes to CGIL: ‘Trade unions are the guardian of democracy’
A hundred years after the assault against the Chambers of Labor that marked the beginning of fascism, the democratic reaction will rally on Saturday in the great event organized together with CISL and UIL entitled “Mai più fascismi” (“No more fascisms”).
After the shameful events of the fascist gang assault on Saturday, on Monday morning the CGIL headquarters received a visit from the Prime Minister. Mario Draghi decided to express his solidarity with the biggest trade union in Italy in person.
At 12:15 the premier was greeted by Maurizio Landini and stayed for about an hour, seeing with his own eyes the havoc wrought on the offices and spaces and congratulating himself on the reaction. During the visit, which began with a hug, Draghi promised Landini that he would “discuss the dissolution of all political forces who have ties with fascism,” as specifically called for on Sunday at the solidarity protest by the general secretary of CGIL. Draghi made no public statement, only a tweet from Palazzo Chigi: “Trade unions are the guardian of democracy and workers’ rights; zero tolerance against intimidation and episodes of violence.”
A hundred years after the assault against the Chambers of Labor that marked the beginning of fascism, the democratic reaction will rally on Saturday in the great event organized together with CISL and UIL entitled “Mai più fascismi” (“No more fascisms”). As il manifesto reported, the venue will be Piazza San Giovanni. Piazza del Popolo, filled up three days ago by the No Vax protest dominated from the stage by Forza Nuova, was too small. For now, the time has been set: 2 p.m., to allow the arrival of demonstrators from all over Italy, while negotiations are going ahead between the confederal unions and the local police on the possibility of a march (the CISL is against this). It would certainly not be the classic route that starts from Piazza della Repubblica, but something shorter. The slogan “No More Fascisms” will be accompanied by “Say no to fascism and violence and to say yes to work, security, rights,” an evening meeting with Luigi Sbarra and Pierpaolo Bombardieri. “A demonstration of the people”—this is the goal according to Landini.
The aftermath of the attack continued on Monday. The CGIL website was hit by a hacker attack “confirming, if that was still necessary, the premeditated nature of the fascist assault on Saturday,” said the union. The day was also marked by another act of vandalism attack against a CGIL headquarters in Piombino: in the crosshairs of the protesters was the headquarters of the SPI pensioners of the Salivoli district. The lock of the front door of the facility was jammed “with a strong glue, so that the intervention of a locksmith was necessary to be able to reopen it.”
About the 40 minutes of occupation and devastation after the few policemen called to defend the (closed) headquarters of CGIL were overpowered, Landini on Monday used a neutral tone when speaking about the leaders of the Interior Ministry. “The problem is not solved with a resignation that I have no intention of asking for,” he replied to those who asked him to comment on Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese, whom Salvini and Meloni demanded she resign. “With Lamorgese, we will have a meeting in the coming days, in the coming hours even, to try to understand,” explained the CGIL secretary, who in the afternoon was a guest on Stampa Estera. “Is fascism coming back?”, “Is CGIL frightened?”, “Does CGIL think that extreme right-wing groups have become too strong?” were the recurring questions.
“I’m not frightened,” Landini replied, “and I don’t think the far-right groups have become too strong. I do think, however, that they should not be underestimated, or allowed to exist.” There are laws that provide for the dissolution of neo-fascist organizations, but “they must be applied.” “We ask that a decree be passed which, by applying those laws, will enact the dissolution of these groups.”
Behind Saturday’s attack on the national headquarters in Corso d’Italia “there was a very specific plan, and a response is needed. Apply the Constitution and dissolve the political formations that identify with fascism.“ As Landini clarified, one of the objectives, probably the main one, of the demonstration organized for Saturday together with CISL and UIL is to “be a demonstration of the people, this is important, and we are open to the participation of all democratic citizens.” “We chose going into the square to return it to democracy,” he concluded.
Originally published at https://ilmanifesto.it/draghi-in-cgil-interverremo-sabato-piazza-antifascista/ on 2021-10-12