(ANSA) – ROME, AUG 28 – Milan city council on Thursday approved guidelines for a potential new home for the Leoncavallo leftist and countercultural ‘social centre’ a week after the historic Milanese squat was evacuated in a move welcomed by rightwing government parties but slammed by opposition leftwing parties.
The possible new venue is in a building on the southeastern suburbs of Milan and the lease would be for 90 years, source said.
Police last Thursday executed an eviction order for the anticapitalist and anarchist squat, enforcing an order that had been postponed several times, for the so-called ‘social centre’, one of over 200 such squats in Italian cities, and an alternative youth hub since its foundation in 1975.
Right-wing Premier Giorgia Meloni said that free zones cannot exist in a state ruled by law.
“In a constitutional state, there cannot be free zones or areas removed from legality,” Meloni stated on social media after the eviction.
“Illegal occupations,” she added, “are a threat to security, to citizens, and to communities that respect the rules.
“The government will continue to ensure that the law is respected, always and everywhere: this is the essential condition for defending everyone’s rights.” Deputy Prime Minister, Transport Minister and right-wing League party leader Matteo Salvini, who has long campaigned against the squats, but who frequeted Leoncavallo in his leftwing youth, also hailed the move.
“Finally, things have changed. The law is the same for everyone: get out!”, he said.
Milan’s centre-left mayor, Giuseppe Sala, said the city council had not been informed of the eviction order and described Leoncavallo as “a historic and social value of our city”, implying that he would have opposed the order.
In any case, he said, the council should have been informed about “such a delicate operation”.
The Milan Court of Appeal had ordered the Ministry of the Interior to pay three million euros to landlord L’Orologio for its failure to evict the center in recent years, and in turn, the interior ministry requested compensation from Marina Boer, the president of the Mamme del Leoncavallo association.
“We will have 30 days to reach an agreement (on an appeal),” the Mamme del Leoncavallo commented. “It’s a tragedy.” Boer said they would appeal to the city council, saying “this is not the end”.
She said dialogue with the council was “still open” on finding an alternative space for the young activists.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the eviction shows that the government is showing zero tolerance on squatting.
“The eviction of the Leoncavallo social center marks the end of a long season of illegality,” he said.
“For thirty years, that building was occupied illegally.
“And insult was added to injury: the state was even forced to compensate for the damages caused by the occupation.
“Today, legality is finally being restored.
“The government has a clear line: zero tolerance for illegal occupations.
“Since the beginning of our mandate, nearly 4,000 properties have already been evicted.
“The eviction of the Leoncavallo is just another step in a consistent and determined strategy that we will continue to pursue.” Meloni’s Brothers of Italy (FdI) party said “legality is returning thanks to the Meloni government” while the other government partner, the centre-right post Berlusconi Forza Italia (FI) party, said “the eviction of the Leoncavallo is an important fact”.
The centre-left opposition Democratic Party (PD) said “when they’re in trouble, the bulldozers come back out,” referring to the razing of the centre’s former HQ in August 1989.
Leoncavallo’s artistic director in its heyday, Matteo ‘Flipper’ Marchetti, said “it’s sad day for anti-system protest but also for culture”, listing a roster of big name acts who had appeared on its stage.
“Virtually everyone has played on the Leoncavallo stage over the years, from Subsonica and Afterhours—practically regulars, as well as Africa Unite and Modena City Ramblers—to bands like Public Enemy, who drew eight thousand people in 1999,” said Marchetti.
“And then Carmen Consoli with the orchestra, Max Gazzé, rappers Salmo and Emis Killa, Fedez and Gué, but also bands like Verdena, Baustelle, and Marlene Kuntz, and American stars like Michael Franti.
“And DJs like Goldie, cultural figures like (leftist activist and Nobel winning playwright) Dario Fo and (his wife) Franca Rame, (leftist comedian) Paolo Rossi, and (actor) Fabrizio Bentivogli.” Historic leftwing after-work social activity group ARCI accused the government of “celebrating Leonka’s eviction and tolerating neo-fascist squats” such as that by CasaPound in its Rome HQ.
Angelo Bonelli, co-leader of the Green-Left Alliance (AVS), said: “Meloni’s legality? Protecting the fascists of CasaPound and freeing Libyan murderers like (alleged war criminal and migrant child rapist General Osama) Almasri.
“The president invokes respect for the law to justify the eviction of the Leoncavallo building in Milan, but in Rome, just a few meters from Termini station, CasaPound has been illegally occupying a public building for twenty years without anyone daring to intervene.” Meanwhile, bowing to political pressure Piantedosi, the interior minister, said at the weekend that CasaPound’s neofascist Roman HQ squat would also be evicted. (ANSA).
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The possible new venue is in a building on the southeastern suburbs of Milan and the lease would be for 90 years, source said.
Police last Thursday executed an eviction order for the anticapitalist and anarchist squat, enforcing an order that had been postponed several times, for the so-called ‘social centre’, one of over 200 such squats in Italian cities, and an alternative youth hub since its foundation in 1975.
Right-wing Premier Giorgia Meloni said that free zones cannot exist in a state ruled by law.
“In a constitutional state, there cannot be free zones or areas removed from legality,” Meloni stated on social media after the eviction.
“Illegal occupations,” she added, “are a threat to security, to citizens, and to communities that respect the rules.
“The government will continue to ensure that the law is respected, always and everywhere: this is the essential condition for defending everyone’s rights.” Deputy Prime Minister, Transport Minister and right-wing League party leader Matteo Salvini, who has long campaigned against the squats, but who frequeted Leoncavallo in his leftwing youth, also hailed the move.
“Finally, things have changed. The law is the same for everyone: get out!”, he said.
Milan’s centre-left mayor, Giuseppe Sala, said the city council had not been informed of the eviction order and described Leoncavallo as “a historic and social value of our city”, implying that he would have opposed the order.
In any case, he said, the council should have been informed about “such a delicate operation”.
The Milan Court of Appeal had ordered the Ministry of the Interior to pay three million euros to landlord L’Orologio for its failure to evict the center in recent years, and in turn, the interior ministry requested compensation from Marina Boer, the president of the Mamme del Leoncavallo association.
“We will have 30 days to reach an agreement (on an appeal),” the Mamme del Leoncavallo commented. “It’s a tragedy.” Boer said they would appeal to the city council, saying “this is not the end”.
She said dialogue with the council was “still open” on finding an alternative space for the young activists.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the eviction shows that the government is showing zero tolerance on squatting.
“The eviction of the Leoncavallo social center marks the end of a long season of illegality,” he said.
“For thirty years, that building was occupied illegally.
“And insult was added to injury: the state was even forced to compensate for the damages caused by the occupation.
“Today, legality is finally being restored.
“The government has a clear line: zero tolerance for illegal occupations.
“Since the beginning of our mandate, nearly 4,000 properties have already been evicted.
“The eviction of the Leoncavallo is just another step in a consistent and determined strategy that we will continue to pursue.” Meloni’s Brothers of Italy (FdI) party said “legality is returning thanks to the Meloni government” while the other government partner, the centre-right post Berlusconi Forza Italia (FI) party, said “the eviction of the Leoncavallo is an important fact”.
The centre-left opposition Democratic Party (PD) said “when they’re in trouble, the bulldozers come back out,” referring to the razing of the centre’s former HQ in August 1989.
Leoncavallo’s artistic director in its heyday, Matteo ‘Flipper’ Marchetti, said “it’s sad day for anti-system protest but also for culture”, listing a roster of big name acts who had appeared on its stage.
“Virtually everyone has played on the Leoncavallo stage over the years, from Subsonica and Afterhours—practically regulars, as well as Africa Unite and Modena City Ramblers—to bands like Public Enemy, who drew eight thousand people in 1999,” said Marchetti.
“And then Carmen Consoli with the orchestra, Max Gazzé, rappers Salmo and Emis Killa, Fedez and Gué, but also bands like Verdena, Baustelle, and Marlene Kuntz, and American stars like Michael Franti.
“And DJs like Goldie, cultural figures like (leftist activist and Nobel winning playwright) Dario Fo and (his wife) Franca Rame, (leftist comedian) Paolo Rossi, and (actor) Fabrizio Bentivogli.” Historic leftwing after-work social activity group ARCI accused the government of “celebrating Leonka’s eviction and tolerating neo-fascist squats” such as that by CasaPound in its Rome HQ.
Angelo Bonelli, co-leader of the Green-Left Alliance (AVS), said: “Meloni’s legality? Protecting the fascists of CasaPound and freeing Libyan murderers like (alleged war criminal and migrant child rapist General Osama) Almasri.
“The president invokes respect for the law to justify the eviction of the Leoncavallo building in Milan, but in Rome, just a few meters from Termini station, CasaPound has been illegally occupying a public building for twenty years without anyone daring to intervene.” Meanwhile, bowing to political pressure Piantedosi, the interior minister, said at the weekend that CasaPound’s neofascist Roman HQ squat would also be evicted. (ANSA).
Read article…
