Fascists March in Rome

Hundreds of fascists marched in Italy doing the Roman salute used by the fascist leader Benito Mussolini until his death in 1945. The mob gathered on the anniversary of a far-left ambush attack against the youth organization of the far-right Italian Social Movement (MSI) party, the de facto successor party to Mussolini’s regime. The attack by militant revolutionaries in 1978 left two dead outside the MSI headquarters during the violent power struggle period between communist and fascist groups, dubbed “the years of lead.” Another member of the MSI youth wing died in the ensuing riots on the same day. The recent ceremony was also attended by local authorities, including Francesco Rocca, president of the Lazio region, and Miguel Gotor, the Councilor for Culture. Leaders of the ruling far-right Brothers of Italy party also expressed their support for the tribute. Italy’s current Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, also took her first political steps in the MSI youth movement at the age of ju