Security bill in Italy

Naples protests G7 “lords of war”healthcare

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Original article by Ana Vračar republished from peoples dispatch under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-SA) license.

Source: Ex OPG occupato – Je so’ pazzo/Facebook

Over 2,000 people took to the streets of Naples against soaring military spending in Europe and increased repression of dissent as G7 defense ministers convened for high-level talks

Thousands of people took to the streets of Naples on October 19, demonstrating against the G7 military agenda and Italy’s proposed reforms that would limit the freedom to dissent. Protesters, representing a host of organizations including student associations, trade unions, and community centers, rallied against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government’s policies, demanding a shift in priorities toward social needs instead of military spending. Side by side with the protest in Naples, demonstrations were held in dozens of cities across Italy, as reported by the left political party, Power to the People (Potere al Popolo).

Protesters carrying a banner reading “Cut the weapons, raise the wages!”. Source: Ex OPG occupato – Je so’ pazzo/Facebook

The protest was organized to counter a G7 defense ministers’ meeting that took place in Naples from October 18 to 20, with a focus on global military goals. The meeting was seen by protesters as yet another example of Western countries deepening their involvement in wars, including the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the war in Ukraine, instead of pursuing agendas of social justice and peace. In the lead-up to the meeting, local activists voiced their opposition, stating that “lords of war” were not welcome in their city.

“Never has so much been spent on war, and as a result, war is rampant everywhere,” the associations organizing the march asserted during the preparations. “We refuse to host a meeting in our city that supports the war economy our government has chosen to follow.”

Two central issues dominated the protest in Naples: the West’s support for Israel as it continues to exterminate the people of Gaza and the increasing repression of dissent at home, embodied in Meloni’s proposed security bill. Many protesters pointed out the link between military aggression abroad and domestic policies that seek to criminalize dissent. European countries continue to actively repress solidarity with Palestine and others, like Italy, are doing so while attempting to silence voices against their policies.

Read more: Pro-Palestine activists are under attack in Europe

The new security bill seeks to impose severe restrictions on protests, including strikes and environmental activism. Progressive associations argue that this is a blatant attempt to stifle opposition and consolidate power, and some of them saw Saturday’s protest as a test run for the government’s strategy of suppressing future mobilizations. Days before the protest, authorities tried to restrict the march route, forcing organizers to end the demonstration a kilometer away from the G7 meeting site.

Despite these attempts, protesters refused to be stopped. They briefly broke through the set course of the rally, marching in areas originally declared off-limits by the authorities. In response, police deployed tear gas and used other forms of violence against them. Naples’ historic center has systematically been blocked off to popular protests, and things are set to get worse if the new bill is passed, protesters said. Because of that, community groups including Ex OPG – Je so’ pazzo called upon people to continue resisting.

“We believe this repressive project must be stopped, and more importantly, we see it as a reflection of the Meloni government’s fear of what might still be burning beneath the surface of the seeming calm in the country,” they said.

Read more: Meloni government targets dissent with a new security bill

Saturday’s protest marked an important moment of resistance against the shrinking of democratic space in Italy, as well as to the strengthening of the armament agenda in Europe. Demonstrators announced they were ready to continue fighting against the security bill and expressed determination to challenge Meloni’s government over announced cuts to social support.

“Today, this square is sending a loud message: if the government thinks it can ignore social needs, public healthcare, workers’ rights, and housing in favor of pouring billions into military spending, it’s headed in the wrong direction,” said Chiara Capretti from Power to the People.

Original article by Ana Vračar republished from peoples dispatch under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-SA) license.

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Meloni government targets dissent with a new security bill

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Original article by Ana Vračar republished from peoples dispatch under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-SA) license.

Source: CGIL/X

A proposed security bill in the Italian parliament aims to criminalize activism and penalize acts of solidarity

Giorgia Meloni’s government is on a rampage against popular dissent with a new bill under discussion in the Italian parliament. The proposed legislation seeks to penalize solidarity and criminalize activism, with the working class, migrants, and climate activists particularly at risk. In recent days, widespread protests have erupted, with trade unions, anti-fascist networks, and student groups all vowing to resist Meloni’s plans.

Giuliano Granato, a member of the left political party Power to the People (Potere al Popolo), criticized the bill’s framing as security legislation. He argued that it should instead be called the “Repression Bill” because “it responds to the country’s social needs only with more imprisonment and crime.”

“The government is saying that dissent and dispute are crimes in this country,” Granato added. “We believe they are the essence of democracy, and every achievement made over the decades is thanks to the struggles of the working classes.”

One of the bill’s most significant provisions is a crackdown on activists who block roads or railways during protests. Initially seen as targeting climate activists known for these tactics, the left has warned that it will also affect workers’ struggles. Granato pointed out that workers have also used such methods to protest, including during industrial action at Whirlpool factories over the last years.

Italy’s largest trade unions have echoed these concerns. The Italian General Confederation of Labor (CGIL) criticized the bill, arguing it represents an attack on trade union mobilizations aimed at protecting jobs and addressing company crises. In a joint statement with ANPI, the national anti-fascist network, the CGIL wrote: “The right wing continues to regard security only in terms of repression and punishment of social struggles.” Both organizations were at the forefront of protests held in several Italian cities on Wednesday, September 25.

Read more: Europe’s shift to the right must be countered with mass mobilization and politicization

The bill’s impact would extend beyond activists and workers, with prisoners facing harsh consequences. It proposes penalties for peaceful protests in prisons, such as sit-ins. Furthermore, limited protections currently granted to specific groups, like pregnant women or mothers of infants under one year of age, would be taken away. This would mean that babies would remain jailed with their mothers, despite only a handful of facilities being equipped to accommodate them. Legal and psychological experts have warned of the shocking impact this would have on children’s development even if capacities were expanded.

Migrants, the poor, and those showing solidarity with them are also at risk under the proposed law. Anti-eviction actions and those refusing to vacate spaces under threat of homelessness would be criminalized. Migrants without residence permits would be barred from legally obtaining SIM cards, their only connection to family and friends at home. Merchants who disobey this provision would face temporary closures.

While most describe the security bill as paving the way for a permanent police state, some groups might be looking forward to it. Approximately 300,000 police and security personnel would be granted the right to carry unofficial weapons in both private and public spaces – an idea that is likely to instill fear, rather than a sense of security, in the vast majority of the population.

Opposition to Meloni’s security bill is converging with ongoing resistance to her other policies, including the controversial differentiated autonomy reform. On Thursday, September 26, over 1 million signatures calling for a referendum against the reform were submitted by trade union and social movement leaders. These groups have vowed to remain in the streets, defending their right to protest and express dissent despite the government’s attempts to suppress them.

Original article by Ana Vračar republished from peoples dispatch under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-SA) license.

Continue ReadingMeloni government targets dissent with a new security bill