Italian fascists have always taken advantage of periods of crisis to gain visibility and protect the capitalist order. Harassed by an atmosphere of intolerance and hatred spread around by both the government and the opposition, they gain ground all over the country. In fact, fascist attacks and provocations towards those who have always struggled against the system have multiplied in the last months.
A few examples...
June 2. Around 2pm, 20 fascists armed with knives and sticks enter the square in front of 'Forte Prenestino' squat in Rome shouting 'duce!' (Mussolini's appellation). They start destroying bikes and cars parked there and assault anyone stepping on their way. A comrade is wounded in his neck and must be operated immediately.
June 12. Around 5am four cars carrying a dozen of fascists approach 'Barocchio squat' in Turin. They assault two comrades with sticks and knives and try to enter the squat, luckily without any success, as the comrades gathered on the roof throw tiles and bottles over them. Danilo has received two knife-wounds; one in his forearm has cut an artery. Massimiliano has received a very deep wound close to his eye, another in his chest and another one in his diaphragm. He must be operated too.
June 18. Police attack the antifascist demo in Turin, organized following the fascist assault at 'Barocchio squat' on the 12th. Massimiliano and Silvio are arrested.
July 8. A group of fascists of 'Forza Nuova' armed with knives approach a few comrades outside a record room in Taranto. A fight follows, and eventually the fascists withdraw. In the night police raid the house of Flavio, one of the comrades who were on the spot, looking for a bloodstained shirt and a knife, which are not found. Nevertheless Flavio is arrested on charge of attempted murder. One of the fascists, in fact, who had received a knife-wound in his chest, accuses him of having lashed at him with the intent of killing him. No real evidence supports this accusation; on the contrary Flavio and the other comrades didn't have any weapon at all.
July 17. At dawn 20 nazis armed with knives, sticks and chains stop the car of five comrades of 'La Chimica' squat in Verona. They drag the comrades out of the car and cowardly beat them. One of the comrades has his jaw fractured and another receives very serious wounds.
July 20. Police closes down ‘Fenix’ squat in Turin. 17 comrades are investigated, 8 of them are arrested. The charges are related to the demo on 18th June in Turin, organized to support 'Barocchio squat' after the fascist assault against it. During that demo, police had attacked. The charges are 'resistance to police', 'assault' and 'damages'.