Prof who hailed BR woman says FI youth disrupting lectures

(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 15 - An Italian university professor who hailed a Red Brigades woman on her recent death as sharing the same revolution as her although their ways to achieve it were different has complained that her philosophy lectures are now being systematically disrupted by members of the youth wing of the centre-right post Berlusconi Forza Italia (FI) party.
    "It's fascist thuggery and intimidation, threatening the freedom to educate, I can't get through my lectures on Walter Benjamin," said the 67-year-old Rome Sapienza lecturer, Donatella Di Cesare.
    Di Crease said on the death earlier this month of BR member Barbara Balzerani, who took part in the 1978 kidnapping of Christian Democrat leader Aldo Moro that killed his five escorts, in a widely criticised post she subsequently cancelled: "Your revolution was also mine. Different ways do not cancel ideas. With a heavy heart a farewell to Comrade Luna (Moon) #barbarabalzerani".
    Balzerani, who never reneged on her past of political violence, but said she was sorry for the victims, was involved in several killings including the Aldo Moro street ambush Moro was kidnapped in the raid, and killed 54 days later.
    Balzerani was also involved in the abduction of United States General James L. Dozier in 1981.
    The previous year she was part of the BR hit squad that assassinated magistrate Girolamo Minervini.
    She was arrested in 1985.
    Due to her ability to dodge arrest she was dubbed "the scarlet pimpernel" by the Italian media.
    Di Cesare's praise for Balzerani was condemned by the centre right, with rightwing League leader Matteo Salvini calling it a "disgrace" and added: "In a university chair at the Sapienza and very often a guest of the TV salons of (independent broadcaster) La7.
    "An unacceptable insult for the victims of Red terrorism. "Shame on her.
    But leftwing former Venice mayor and fellow philosophy lecturer Massimo Cacciari defended Di Cesare Friday saying it was "crazy" to think of disciplinary action against her.
    He pointed out that Di Cesare was an internationally respected academic and that she had immediately clarified her views saying she had never had any sympathy for terrorism. (ANSA).