FLASH
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Four courts, clashes over Jewish Brigade and pro-Palestine protests on Liberation Day
The April 25th demonstrations in Milan, marking Liberation Day from Nazism, took place amid marked tensions and divisions. Unlike previous years, this time four different processions were organized, all starting from Corso Venezia, but ending at different points in the city: Piazza Duomo, Piazza San Fedele, Piazza Fontana and via Dante.
The main procession, led by the authorities and the ANPI (National Association of Italian Partisans), ended in Piazza Duomo, where the institutional speeches were given. In parallel, the Milan Peace Coordination organized a rally in Piazza San Fedele, expressing critical positions on the presence of the Jewish Brigade. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian groups marched towards Piazza Fontana, while associations close to Israel gathered in via Dante.
From the start, the situation became tense due to opposition to the Jewish Brigade. A group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators and left-wing activists tried to block the procession, accusing its presence of being inappropriate. Security forces intervened to separate the groups and allow the march to continue.
The procession remained blocked for over an hour in the area of via Palestro and via Senato, while negotiations were held to avoid clashes. In the end, the Jewish Brigade left the procession under police escort, amidst mixed reactions from the crowd, with applause and whistles.
During the tensions, strong slogans and calls from pro-Palestinian protesters were also reported, including "Free Palestine" and objections to the presence of Israeli symbols. On the other hand, representatives of the Jewish community and Italian politics described the departure as a serious and disturbing episode.
Emanuele Fiano stated that for the first time in decades of participation they felt excluded from the procession, while councilor Daniele Nahum called the situation a “wound for the city” and raised concerns about the rise of anti-Semitism. MP Lia Quartapelle criticized the government for its management of public order, demanding clarification from the Minister of the Interior.
On the other hand, ANPI president Gianfranco Pagliarulo stressed that tensions also escalated due to the non-compliance with agreements on the manner of participation in the court, citing the use of Israeli flags as a divisive element in the current international context.
In Piazza Duomo, Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala described April 25 as a “sacred date,” warning against attempts to relativize the history of antifascism. He stressed that this day is not just a celebration, but a moment of reflection and commitment.
During the ceremony, the rector of the State University of Milan, Marina Brambilla, underlined the link between freedom and progress, stressing that without liberation from Nazism there would be no scientific and democratic development. She also called for justice for the scholar Giulio Regeni, who was killed in Egypt.
The demonstrations took place in parallel with Design Week activities, causing major traffic problems and the closure of several metro stations.
In the background remains the political and symbolic division over the meaning of April 25, with calls from ANPI for maintaining anti-fascist unity at a moment considered sensitive for democracy.
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