A Milan court has explained why it acquitted 23 far-right activists who gave the Roman salute during a commemoration. The ruling, published on Monday, found their gesture did not cross into spreading Fascist ideology.
Spreading Fascist ideology is a crime in post-World War II Italy.
The court referred to the event on 29 April 2019, held in memory of Sergio Ramelli, a far-right Youth Front militant killed by far-left militants in 1975. Around 1,000 people gave the Roman salute as the crowd responded, “Present! Present! Present!”—as if calling the dead man’s name in a roll call. The court stated this was only “an homage and commemoration of a youth killed for his political ideas.”
On 28 November 2024, the court fully acquitted the defendants of “staging a Fascist demonstration.” The charge was based on the Scelba law, which bans groups that pursue anti-democratic aims, glorify Fascist principles or leaders, or use violence in support of Fascism.
The ruling was one of the first in Milan since the supreme Cassation Court set guidelines in April 2024. These guidelines help judges assess the “concrete danger of the reorganisation of the Fascist party” in specific cases.
Prosecutors had sought prison terms of two to four months for the activists, who belong to far-right groups Lealtà Azione, Forza Nuova, and Casapound.
In January, Rome prosecutors investigated protestors in a similar rally held to commemorate the death of two far-right activists in 1978.
