“Be the minister, until now we have not noticed”: Matteo Salvini’s attack arrived, on time, in the Senate classroom during the replies to the information given by Minister Lamorgese on the No Vax demonstration in Rome and on the unrest of Trieste. «Hydrants with open urns? But not even in Chile or Venezuela ”, the leader of the League blurted out. “All sorts of things are happening, I’m not talking about migrants, baby gangs, I’m talking about what happened last week, you are making us look mean at world level, minister take your responsibilities.”
Salvini’s harsh words, as mentioned, at the end of the minister’s statements in the classroom. Who did not hide behind a finger and admitted the criticality of the situation last Saturday.
«In the immediacy of the facts I asked the police chief for a detailed reconstruction of the evident criticalities which, it must be acknowledged, marked the management of public order during those hours. It is clear that it has not been possible to contain all the criminal intentions from which the violent part of the demonstrators was moved, especially that instigated by more politicized elements ». Lamorgese then underlined “the security deficit caused by the situation which has exceeded all reasonable predictions” and which must not “repeat itself”. The organizers “spoke of 1000 people, there were instead 10-12 thousand”. The device, of 840 agents, was “adequate to the estimates”, according to the minister – which especially at the beginning was interrupted by noises and protests from the Northern League banks.
“I reject accusations of dark strategies, and disturbing backstories,” Lamorgese later said. “There were no police infiltrators among the demonstrators.” “There have been discussions with Castellino from the police also to buy time,” explained the minister. The “political reading” of the failure to intervene after Giuliano Castellino’s “proclamation” from the stage in Piazza del Popolo “echoes dramatic seasons” experienced by our country, “crediting the thesis that it was a design accredited by the police: I reject firmly this reading, which does not take into account the reality of the facts and insinuates the doubt that the police forces, to whom we owe the defense of institutions and the maintenance of social peace, lend themselves to being an instrument of obscure political purposes ”.
The raid on the headquarters of the CGIL was “the most dramatic moment” and “which disturbed public opinion due to the violence of the destructive action and the disfigurement of democracy. A moment that lasted 8 agonizing minutes, which reached its peak between 5.32 pm, when the demonstrators burst into the trade union headquarters, and 5.35 pm, when the police forces regain control of the situation and free the premises ».
In Trieste, however, there was “moderation and containment”. “Despite the recall of the prefect of Trieste to the obvious illegitimacy of the strike, a garrison was activated at gate 4”, preventing 700 heavy vehicles from unloading and loading goods, the minister announced, and “in the face of this situation the prefect has called an urgent safety committee in which it was agreed to carry out the eviction. In moments of greatest tension the danger of degeneration of public order was foreseen and the use of fire hydrants and tear gas was necessary ». Lamorgese in the Chamber spoke of “characteristics similar to the events in Rome” at the processions towards Palazzo Chigi and Montecitorio. Then he said: “I renew my solidarity with the CGIL and my closeness to the police force”, said the minister.
On Forza Nuova, Lamorgese explained: “In the square in Rome on October 9 there were about 200 members of Forza Nuova, confirming the keen interest on the part of this formation in acquiring spaces of visibility capable of increasing its consensus pool “.
“We still have a very busy period ahead of us, which will see the G20 unfold until October,” said Lamorgese. “The contribution of information aimed at considering every danger and addressing mediation activities that have demonstrated the effectiveness in lowering tension and decongesting the square is to be considered precious”. “In this period the protest threatened every area, bringing out new subjects to protect and new sensitive objectives to protect”, he added, underlining the “challenging nature of the protest, intent on not stopping”. According to the minister “we cannot in any way let our guard down” and we must “keep the utmost attention to ensure that national tranquility is not disturbed”.
From February 2020 to October 18, 5,569 protests were held, more than half in 2021, and of these 1,526 between July 22 and October 18, which concerned the green pass protests. 3.4% resulted in episodes of violence, or 52 demonstrations, the Minister of the Interior recalled. “In the same period – said Lamorgese – the effort to contain the protests in the square led to the assignment of 17,470 units of the mobile police forces to the public security authority”.