Three Alpine soldiers save a man at the Porto Antico, but the Municipality stops the parade of mules. Chronicle of a demonstration that splits the city and Ligurian politics.
After the success from 20,000 visitors of the star DJ Charlotte de Wittea Genoa it’s time for 90,000 visitors of the alpines. Yesterday the flag raising ceremony began 97th official muster of black feathers that will last until tomorrow. But between gaffes, harassment, thefts and protests, the demonstration got off to a rocky start. Especially for the glamorous mayor Silvia Salis who didn’t miss the opportunity to get into trouble.
After praising the alpines welcoming them with a nice “care alpine and dear alpine”, welcoming them “with pride and respect”, he then had the local police clear out an unauthorized camp made up of a dozen tents and a chemical toilet in a public garden, challenging those responsible for the illegal occupation of public land. The city councilor intervened on this Vittoria Canessa Cerchidelegated to organize the event: «It is also to prevent situations of this type that we have decided to close most of the city parks».
The political clash and Salvini’s warning
The eviction also had a political impact. The Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini comments: «To clear out ten alpines in a tent, the Municipality of Genoa it’s very fast. The citizens expect the same amount of diligence for all the other bivouacs and illegal camps on the part of people who deal, rob, stab and harass the Genoese.”
Yet, Wednesday afternoon three alpines they attended Old Port to provide aid to a man suffering from cardiac arrest, saving him, and receiving compliments from Salis: «It is a gesture that saved a life and deserves everyone’s gratitude Genoa». Despite this, moments of tension were recorded in the historic center, where a group of alpines he would have been the target of a glass jar throw. A alpine of the section Germany was surrounded near the Old Port by some boys who stole his black pen “screaming at me as a warmonger”. A message is circulating on the social networks of some opposing groups inviting people to participate in the “free game” called “steal the pen”, which involves a competition to see who collects the most black pens.
Tensions in the alleys and the alarm of feminists
In the alleys the climate is poisoned by the left: «Comrades, the alpines». An appointment that smacks of challenge, with messages that pass from door to door, from collective to collective: «No pasarán!». Thus began the groans from feminist circles Not one less. They spread the word that alpines they would bring “a toxic masculinity”. A message started circulating on social media: “Carry a whistle in your bag, it can serve as a deterrent and attract attention.” Armed with spray, the activists went around the historic center to leave a sign of their intolerance: «Alpini and military, serial harassment», «Let’s remigrate the alpines», «The church burns, the state burns. Dead Alpine troops.” «When you do uncivilized things there is no longer freedom. Freedom always ends when that of others begins and we want everyone here to Genoa can feel free to express their closeness to alpines», comments the president of the Liguria Region Marco Bucci.
Salis instead he indulges in a few jokes, overflowing into gaffes. «We are Genoese, moaning is part of the city’s DNA. If we weren’t moaners we wouldn’t be Genoese.” Mugugni stands for laments. And many Genoese people on social media didn’t like that label. Salisfor a few days, had to put aside national interviews and appearances on talk shows, and deal with the matter personally. A complicated mission for the first citizen who ultimately opted for the adage “one shot at the rim and one at the barrel”. To feminists he promises a harsh hand: «Zero tolerance. Harassment, even verbal harassment or disguised as joking, is not folklore, it is violence.”
Opposition criticism and the ban on mules
Then the thankless task of speaking to one’s electorate: “I invite you not to turn this weekend into a trench clash.” In the city council she is full of protests from the centre-right, who accuse her of having rejected a motion of solidarity with the Black Feathers. And for having started the organizational machine of the event too late, decided in 2024when the mayor of Genoa era Bucci. There was time to organize the reception and services. The member of parliament joins in the criticism Fdi Silvio Giovine: “It is unacceptable that an event like the rally is described as a problem of public order before it even begins.”
In this climate, it was inevitable that tempers would heat up. Alice Salvatoreformer regional councilor M5s and former candidate for the presidency of the Region, writes on Facebook that she was harassed on the bus by some alpines “a little tipsy.” Finally, a “no” also came from the Municipality muleshistorical symbol of the body alpinewhich will not parade. It hasn’t happened since 1994. It is claimed that the animal traceability documents, essential for monitoring any health risks, were never compiled by the group alpine. It will still be a party, even if someone does everything to ruin it.
