Milan on the eve of the march: Sala: ‘We need more support from the government’
The mayor has issued reassuring messages ahead of Saturday and is urging shopkeepers not to close
On the day before the demonstration, tensions are rising in Milan and there is no shortage of political jibes. The mayor, Giuseppe Sala, is calling for greater political support from the government, and even suggests that this climate is playing into the hands of the right-wing electorate. ‘I haven’t received a phone call from Prime Minister Meloni, but it is up to each individual to engage with local authorities and mayors. I think it is a mistake not to discuss this at the moment: political differences exist, but when faced with certain problems, we must look beyond them. This is simply an observation, not a criticism.’
He then explicitly mentions the fact that this tension in the run-up to the local elections could play into the hands of the right: ‘I am, however, awaiting a response from the representatives of my political coalition’.
However, the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, has reassured the city by emphasising that everything has been well planned. “We are working well; we have planned everything that can be planned, and we have strengthened all our measures,” he said on the sidelines of a meeting at the Prefecture in Treviso. “It’s not just Milan; we’re keeping a close eye on other cities where such events might be announced, Rome in particular, where there are as many as four such events,” Piantedosi emphasised. “We are paying increasing attention to this, including identifying these networks used for communication, issuing alerts and encouraging participation in these demonstrations. We’ll see; we’re fairly confident.”
Sala reassured the public: ‘We are also seeing some positive signs regarding the risks associated with the events, but in any case we will remain vigilant. I will be at the local police headquarters in Piazza Beccaria; it seems to me that everyone is prepared, and let’s hope there are no problems.’ Finally, an appeal to the public: “I urge shopkeepers not to close, though it is clear that I can do no more than make this appeal; ultimately, the decision is theirs.”
Meanwhile, the anarchists have announced that they will not be taking part, but it is clear that there is a great deal of attention focused, above all, on the spontaneous online gatherings organised by teenagers, which are difficult to manage.
