Rome rally organised in response to attack on CGIL trade union base. 

A major anti-fascist rally in defence of "work and democracy" is to be held in Rome on the afternoon of Saturday 16 October.

The demonstration has been called by the CGIL trade union whose Rome headquarters was stormed during a protest last weekend against the Green Pass, a certificate showing that people have been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from covid-19.

As of Friday 15 October the Green Pass is required by all public and private sector workers in Italy.

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CGIL has been joined by the CISL and UIL unions in calling the 'Mai più fascismi' demonstration, scheduled at 14.00 in Piazza S. Giovanni in Laterano, an historic venue associated with trade unions and the left.

The attack on the CGIL base was condemned by the government and across the political spectrum.

Leaders of the neo-fascist Forza Nuova were subsequently arrested on charges of allegedly orchestrating the violence and the group's website was taken offline pending a criminal investigation.

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"It was an attack on democracy" - said CGIL secretary general Maurizio Landini - "If anyone has thought of intimidating us... they must know that CGIL and the workers' movement have defeated fascism in this country and regained democracy...they don't scare us".

Landini appealed to "to all associations, political forces, democratic citizens, to all be united on the 16th to give an answer to the country and give a sign to Europe."

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During the rally union leaders will call for the dissolution by law of all pro-fascist organisations, a prospect that is already under debate at parliamentary level in relation to Forza Nuova.

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However the right-wing Lega is boycotting the event, which is being held on the eve of a run-off mayoral vote between the centre-right Enrico Michetti and the centre-left Roberto Gualtieri (PD).

Lega leader Matteo Salvini claimed the Rome rally is being "organised by the left on the day of electoral silence, before the run-off".

Green Pass

The anti-fascist rally also takes place against the backdrop of tensions over Italy's Green Pass. Workers who violate the rules risk heavy fines and being suspended from their jobs without pay.

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Protests against the Green Pass in Italy had begun to fizzle out over the summer however there have been renewed tensions in recent days.

Details about the Green Pass can be found - in Italian - on the Certificazione Verde website. For official information about the covid-19 situation in Italy - in English - see the health ministry website.