A row over the presence of an allegedly far-right publisher at Rome’s Più Libri Più Liberi book fair intensified on Thursday after Orecchio Acerbo said it would leave the Italian Publishers Association (AIE) in protest.
The publisher at the centre of the controversy, Passaggio al Bosco, is accused of promoting texts that glorify Nazi-Fascist and anti-Semitic figures and ideologies. Its catalogue reportedly includes works on Leon Degrelle and Corneliu Zelea Codreanu.
Tension rose on Wednesday when satirical cartoonist Zerocalcare withdrew from the book fair. He said he was unwilling to share the event with the publisher. He was one of about 80 authors who had urged organisers to bar Passaggio al Bosco. Historians Anna Foa and Alessandro Barbero, writer Antonio Scurati, author Christian Raimo and musician Caparezza also signed the letter.
The AIE rejected the request. The association said Passaggio al Bosco had declared adherence to the values of the Italian Constitution. Furthermore, readers should be allowed to judge its publications for themselves.
Orecchio Acerbo, known for children’s and young-adult books, said it “totally disagreed” with the AIE’s stance. It called the reasoning “ludicrous” and said it could not remain within the association while it tolerated the presence of a publisher accused of spreading extremist material.
The dispute overshadowed preparations for the independent publishing fair, which is now in full swing.
