School and anti-fascist demonstrations, November 24

In the morning, two separate rallies marched through the capital, both protesting against cuts in school budgets. The first was led by the COBAS union, which had called for a strike, while the second was a students’ rally.

In the afternoon, a third important demonstration took place in the city centre: an anti-fascist demonstration against the national rally of Casa Pound Italia. Casa Pound’s rally attracted around 2,000 people, protected by a heavy security presence. At the same time, thousands of demonstrators (ordinary people, students, migrants, partisans, social centre militants, left-wing party and anti-racist activists) met to protest against the neo-fascist organization and the support it receives from the city council, led by the ex-neo-fascist Mayor, Gianni Alemanno.

The Rome council, which has approved huge budget cuts and increases in local taxes, has also approved the purchase of Casa Pound’s base for around 12 million euros in order to protect the organization from eviction. The Mayor’s son, as it happens, is an active member of the students’ section of Casa Pound.

Another big demonstration against Casa Pound was held in Bologna, where a base opened recently.