Far-right demonstrators give fascist salutes at a rally in Rome; The opposition criticizes and the prime minister does not comment world

Far-right demonstrators were seen giving fascist salutes during a mass march in Rome, Italy, on Sunday (7). The act took place in front of the former headquarters of the neo-fascist group Italian Social Movement (MSI), which became the conservative party “Brotherhood of Italy”, co-founded by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Every year, far-right groups gather on January 7 to honor three neo-fascists who were killed on Acca Larentia Street, southeast of the Italian capital, in 1978. On that occasion, two of the men were shot dead by police. Allegedly, the militants were left-wing extremists, while the third was killed by police. No one was ever convicted of the deaths.

In the video, rows of men can be seen saluting with their arms crossed and shouting “present” three times while one shouted “for all the dead comrades!” – a phrase often repeated in neo-fascist events.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who leads the moderate Forza Italia party, said any celebration of dictatorship should be condemned.

“There is a law that says you cannot support fascism in our country,” he said.

In addition to prohibiting pro-fascist demonstrations, Italian law prohibits the reorganization of Mussolini's dissolved fascist party. However, far-right groups are getting around the problem by giving their organizations new names and claiming to be new entities.

For Democratic Party leader Elie Schlein, the picture takes us back to 1924, when Benito Mussolini's fascist party won an important electoral victory in the Italian parliamentary elections.

He added: “What happened is unacceptable. Neo-fascist groups must be dissolved, as determined by the constitution.” “Melonie, don't you have anything to say?”

Neither the Italian Prime Minister nor her party, the Brotherhood of Italy, have commented on what happened so far. Meloni is one of the founders of the Brotherhood of Italy, whose origins are directly linked to the Italian Social Movement (MSI) party, founded by neo-fascists who were part of Mussolini's dictatorial government.

When she was young, the current prime minister praised Mussolini, but she has since changed her stance, saying in 2021 that there was “no room” in her party for “nostalgia for fascism, racism or anti-Semitism”.