National Youth Accused of Illicit Entry into Bologna City Hall

Bologna: A group of activists from the youth wing of Premier Giorgia Meloni’s rightwing Brothers of Italy (FDI) party, known as National Youth (GN), have been accused of illicitly entering Bologna’s City Hall when it was closed. The incident, which occurred ahead of the commemoration of the Foibe massacres, involved the group laying a wreath of flowers after organizing a demonstration.

According to Ansa News Agency, the municipality stated that the initiative took place on Sunday night “without any prior agreement” with the administration. The municipal government has alleged that certain members of the Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, including FdI Lower House whip Galeazzo Bignami, facilitated the entry.

Bologna Mayor Matteo Lepore condemned the incident as “unacceptable,” confirming that the group entered City Hall “without authorization” following a demonstration to commemorate the Foibe massacres. These events refer to the mass killings and deportations by Tito’s Yugoslav Partisans of Italians during and
immediately after World War II in regions such as the Trieste zone, Istrian peninsula, and Dalmatia.

Mayor Lepore emphasized that members of the Brothers of Italy must explain their presence and role as facilitators. He specifically mentioned several individuals, including lawmaker Bignami, MEP Stefano Cavedagna, regional councillor Francesco Sassone, and municipal councillor Manuela Zuntini, as being involved. Lepore also announced plans to file a complaint over the incident.

Monday marked Italy’s Day of Remembrance for the Foibe massacres, which involved the killing of thousands of Italians by Tito’s partisans in ethnic cleansing efforts at the end of World War II. It is estimated that up to 15,000 Italians, many of whom were identified with Fascism, were tortured or killed by Yugoslav communists who occupied the Istrian peninsula during the war’s final years.