Far-right hardcore Lazio ultra
fans on Wednesday hung up a banner saying "Honour to Mussolini"
near the square in Milan where the Fascist dictator's body was
strung up upside down after his execution by partisans in 1945.
Some dozen 'Irreducibili' ultras unfurled the banner saying
"Honour to Mussolini Irr" near Piazzale Loreto, where
Mussolini's body was defaced by angry crowds along with those of
his mistress Claretta Petacci and some Fascist 'gerarchi'.
Lazio face AC Milan in the second leg of the Italian Cup
semi-final at the San Siro on Wednesday night.
Roberto Cenati, head of the Milan chapter of partisans
association ANPI, said "it's a crazy thing".
He said an ANPI member had alerted the group about the banner
"brought there by some 70 people who sang Fascist chants and
slogans and made Roman salutes".
The incident happened on the eve of Liberation day, when
Italy celebrates its liberation by the Allies from Fascism and
Nazism.
Police said they had identified some of the fans and were
trying to ID the others.
The incident drew widespread condemnation.
Leftwing MP Nicola Fratoianni called it "an ignoble gesture".
The ruling anti-establishment 5-Star Movement called it
"aberrant".
Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the nationalist
League party, said "no tolerance for all form of violence,
physical or verbal.
"I thank the police who are following the situation
carefully, football must once more become a chance to celebrate
and meet, not fight or clash".
Salvini said 14 "idiots" had been identified.
Police said the Lazio ultra head had been identified and 22
fans including 19 Lazio fans and three Inter Milan fans, who are
twinned with the Lazio supporters.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
