Italy worries about "anti-vax" violence over extension of health pass to trains
The violence of Italian “anti-vax”, especially during demonstrations, hit the headlines in Italy.
Here, an anti-health pass demonstration in Rome on August 14, 2021 © Remo Casilli, Reuters
Text by: Anne Le Nir Follow
5 mins
The violence of the Italian “anti-vax” has been increasing in recent days, with the extension of the obligation of the health pass for long journeys within the country, which comes into force on Wednesday 1 September.
After threats and attacks against journalists and doctors, the various groups want to block access to the platforms in about fifty stations and do battle with the authorities.
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From our correspondent in Rome,
The initiative to try to block access to trains, organized through hard-to-control Telegram groups, follows recent protests in which two journalists were threatened with death and beaten up, in Milan and Rome.
Several thousand anti-riot units have been mobilized, but the police know that managing the “anti-vax” galaxy is very complex.
Hence the risk of an incandescent climate, a few days before the start of the school year, where
the health pass
will also be compulsory for all school staff.
Threatening "anti-vax" close to the fascists and the far left
The "anti-vax" are a rather limited segment of the population: 70% of Italian residents over the age of 12 have completed
their vaccination cycle
.
But this fringe is very heterogeneous, since the obligation of the health pass affects several social and professional categories.
That said, the rebellion is clearly fueled by
neo-fascist
groups
, like Forza nuova, as well as ultra-radical leftists.
In particular subjects close to former members of the Red Brigades.
►
To read also:
Italy: the police dismantle a network of traffic of false health passes
All this
movement is not content with demonstrating and attacking the press
: there is a real manhunt against Covid-19 specialists.
Among them, the Genoese professor Matteo Bassetti - whose whole family is threatened - and the Milanese virologist Fabrizio Pregliasco - bombarded with insults on his cell phone.
And then, we can no longer count the number of family doctors victims of harassment.
The government mobilizes to dismantle networks of incitement to hatred
So far, the authorities have sailed on sight in the face of this escalation of violence.
Moreover, even the seat of government is not immune to attacks: Tuesday, August 31, one of the Telegram groups called "
Basta dittatura
" (or "
The dictatorship is enough
"), disclosed numbers of telephone reserved… including that of the office of the President of the Council Mario Draghi.
Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese has decided to bring together the heads of the Coordination Center against acts of intimidation.
The objective is to make up for lost time, by using all possible means to dismantle networks of incitement to hatred against those who defend vaccination, in the service of the common good.
►
To read also:
Italy: the nostalgia of the Mussolini clan still makes political heads fall
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