Meloni and the streets. Fears of a turbulent autumn. The government is exploring ways to avoid being swept away by the French wave

First came the ‘peaceful’ Fridays for Future march, then the national demonstration organised by the CGIL, which is attempting to echo the winds of protest sweeping across Europe. Finally, the general strike called by the USB. Between now and the end of the month, in short, Meloni and the government face a ‘hot autumn’. No one is hoping for the chaos seen in Madrid or Paris, where protests centred mainly on issues such as housing and education. But a certain resurgence is not being underestimated even in these parts. Some public squares, moreover, could serve as a test following the entry into force (with approval in the Chamber perhaps as early as next week) of the Anti-Semitism Bill. New anti-Semitic graffiti appeared yesterday in Bologna.

A confidential public order and safety committee has recently met to take stock of the main demonstrations planned in various cities. The first event, according to the calendar, as mentioned, will be on Friday 16 October, when the Fridays for Future network returns to Italian town squares with a ‘climate strike’ that will bring together students and activists from the environmental movement. In Rome, the protests will focus on opposing the new AS Roma stadium project. However, it is the following day, Saturday 18th, that the capital is expected to see the largest influx of demonstrators, for ‘La via maestra, insieme per la costituzione’ (‘The Main Road: Together for the Constitution’), organised by the CGIL and over 100 other associations. The agenda will, as usual, be as varied as possible: ranging from opposition to rearmament to tackling the wage crisis and job insecurity. But, of course, the reasons for opposition will also be more compelling and political: the new electoral law that has just been passed and ‘differentiated autonomy’. A hotchpotch that could serve as a breeding ground for those keen to ‘emulate’ the scenes of street warfare witnessed across Europe. A dynamic that is certain to be observed at the end of the month, on 30 October, the date on which the general strike called by the Grassroots Trade Union (USB) is scheduled. Last year, at the height of the Global Sumud Flotilla expeditions, it was precisely the USB’s demonstrations that saw the most radical demands linked to the pro-Palestinian movement, leading to clashes with the police.

At Palazzo Chigi and the Ministry of the Interior, for the time being, there is no concern about the coming weeks; confidence is placed in the work of police headquarters and prefectures. Moreover, since last autumn, the government has introduced a whole series of new regulations, contained in the latest Security Package, which, for example, allow for the extension of ‘red zones’ within cities. There are also measures that can be applied directly during demonstrations deemed to pose a high risk to public order: the preventive detention of individuals deemed dangerous for up to 12 hours prior to such events. Furthermore, there are provisions for swifter searches in areas deemed sensitive. In addition, penalties for those arrested have been tightened. In short, the approach remains one of utmost caution, ensuring that authorities are not caught unprepared. Furthermore, in the coming weeks, we may see the effects of the Anti-Semitism Bill, which aims to punish forms of hatred directed against Jews. The bill will resume its debate in the Chamber of Deputies next Tuesday and could be passed by the end of that session or the next. Yesterday in Bologna, threatening graffiti targeting the Jewish community appeared. Chants and songs were heard at demonstrations and university rallies held on 7 October itself. Meanwhile, a large demonstration organised by the Secondary School Students’ Network is scheduled for 20 November. This too will be a litmus test, as the opposition – led by AVS and the M5S – is already prepared to put up a fight against a law they consider an ‘attack on freedom’. And in the run-up to the general election, this could further inflame the atmosphere on the streets.