“Meloni is a fascist, and history shows us the catastrophic danger when fascists are treated as ‘ordinary’ politicians. In meeting her, Sunak is legitimising a fascist with a far right agenda.”
By Stand Up To Racism
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, leader of the fascist Brothers of Italy will be meeting Britain’s prime minister Rishi Sunak at Downing Street on Thursday.
Meloni’s party is directly linked through its previous incarnation, the MSI (Italian Social Movement) to Mussolini and Italy’s fascist regime of the last century. Meloni has previously described Mussolini as ‘a good politician’ – she joined the MSI at the age of fifteen.
Meloni’s Brothers of Italy has continued using the same image of the flame, as the MSI used, in the party’s logo. This image was also used by the National Alliance (AN) which was born out of the MSI. In an attempt to portray itself as respectable, the AN described itself as ‘post-fascist’.
While campaigning for the far right National Alliance Meloni told French television that “Mussolini was a good politician, in that everything he did, he did for Italy.”
Her government has introduced a ‘state of emergency’ to go around parliament and push through even more draconian measures against refugees. They are now also using the white supremacist language of the great replacement theory.
Anti racists and anti fascists are organising to send the message that Meloni is not welcome, stating that she and her Brothers of Italy are helping to ‘turn the Mediterranean into a graveyard’ with their extreme anti refugee and anti-migrant policies.
Sunak’s government has also pushed scapegoating and widely opposed policies such as the Rwanda deportation plan for asylum seekers, the new ‘Illegal Migration Bill’ which is being debated again today in parliament, and Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s intervention describing refugees as an ‘invasion’.
Simone Rossi, ANPI (Associazione Nazionale Partigiani d’Italia – National Association of the Partisans of Italy) London said:
“We encourage all anti fascists in London to take the street and show Italian PM Meloni that her lack of clear condemnation of fascism has not gone unnoticed. Despite attempting at showing a conservative stance, Ms Meloni is still showing reluctance in openly denouncing the role of Giorgio Almirante in Mussolini’s regime and in the promulgation of Racial Laws.”
She has not condemned far right groups’ violence yet, especially with reference to the tragic Years of Lead when fascist fringe groups planted bombs in public venues with the aim of forcing the Italian state to adopt a more authoritarian stance. What we have heard from her so far is the constant dilution of the values of Resistance and of the Constitution, with the aim of normalising far right views and even fascism. We won’t accept it.”
Weyman Bennett, protest organiser and Stand Up To Racism co convenor, said:
“Meloni is a fascist, and history shows us the catastrophic danger when fascists are treated as ‘ordinary’ politicians. In meeting her, Sunak is legitimising a fascist with a far right agenda. Meanwhile his government is opening up a space for racists and fascists to build and grow off the back of their anti-refugee rhetoric.”
That’s why it is essential that the visit is met with opposition to say loud and clear, fascists not welcome. It is also why we must continue to mobilise against the racist and scapegoating policies of this government – which are in breach of international human rights legislation and are giving oxygen to the fascist and far right who are mobilising in towns across Britain targetting refugees.”
Join the protest to say that fascists are not welcome here – #RefugeesWelcome
- The “Fascist Meloni Not Welcome! Stand with Refugees #RefugeesWelcome” demonstration takes place tomorrow (Thursday 27th, 2023) at 3pm at Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA.
- This event preview was originally published by Stand Up To Racism. You can can follow Stand Up To Racism on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
