Post by Bozur on Feb 26, 2005 15:22:05 GMT -5
Reuters Features
Nationalist Squatters Take Plum Site in Ancient Rome
Fri Feb 25, 8:06 AM ET
By Robin Pomeroy
ROME (Reuters) - It should be a real estate agent's dream: a huge, stately early 20th century house on three floors, a stone's throw from the Colosseum. Just one drawback: It is occupied by far right squatters.
While thousands of tourists admire the giant amphitheater, just one block away a group of ultra-nationalists, who also take their inspiration from ancient Rome, have occupied the impressive former public building.
Foro 753 is the name of the group which took over the derelict building at Via Capo d'Africa 27 more than a year ago. While they say they just want to create a community center, many locals view them as fascists and want them evicted.
"This has made the whole community furious," said a member of a group of locals campaigning to get them evicted.
"It's not the only squat in Rome, but the others are on the outskirts and are run by the far left," said the man who asked not to be identified.
It is not uncommon in Italy for groups of young people to create "social centers" in disused buildings -- using the places for artistic or recreational activities. But they are almost always run by the left and none are in such prime locations.
The arrival of a number of right-wing squats, and the tolerant reaction of the authorities, shows Italy's far right does not always fit the stereotype of thuggish skinheads.
Inside the cavernous building of 18,300 square feet, members of the group greet each other with the "Roman" handshake, clasping each other by the wrist.
The top floor of the building has been turned into a boxing gym, complete with punchbags and dumbbells.
"We do boxing classes," explained Stefano, a smartly dressed young 30-something.
"We also offer guitar lessons and English classes. Our aim is to relaunch this space for young people. We want to recreate a sense of community that once existed more than it does today."
MUSSOLINI AND MASSACRES
The group's aims seem innocuous, even laudable, with spaces used for debates, exhibitions and music rehearsal. In the hallway are stacked packs of mineral water which Foro is collecting to send to victims of the Asian tsunami.
But the banners adorning the walls, are written in an unmistakably fascist script. The group has held conferences on the architecture of Mussolini's Olympic stadium and a wartime massacre in the Balkans committed by communists.
Are they neo-fascists? "If we want to talk about fascism we need a whole historical debate," said Stefano who denies the group is violent or racist.
Indeed he says its anti-drugs policy makes it less of a threat to the local community than similar left-wing groups. "People have seen we are clean people; we just want to give the building back to the neighborhood."
Like much of Europe, Italy has a hard right movement that attracts many youngsters who feel let down by mainstream politics and threatened by immigration.
But in Italy, the historical home of fascism, the appeal of the right is sometimes more complex. Many hard-right groups use mythical references to the glory of the Roman empire, following the cultural lead of wartime dictator Benito Mussolini.
Former West Ham and Celtic soccer player Paolo di Canio, now the star striker at Rome soccer club Lazio, recently shocked many soccer fans outside Italy by giving a straight-armed Nazi-style salute after scoring against rival Rome team AS Roma.
Di Canio is a lifelong devotee of Lazio which has a hard-core of right-wing fans and has expressed his admiration for Mussolini. He said his "Roman" salute was cultural, rather than political.
That is how the Foro describes itself. "What's going on here is social. It doesn't have a political level," said Stefano, standing in the Marcus Aurelius room which, like other parts of the building, have been named after Roman emperors.
POLITICAL LINKS
But he says that Foro 753 is close politically to National Alliance, a conservative party which emerged in the 1990s from a post-war neo-fascist party and is now in government.
That party runs the Lazio regional government which owns the building in Via Capo d'Africa and locals say the right-wing politicians have turned a blind eye on the squatters who are of a similar political hue.
A Lazio official said the council was "against any type of squatting," but would not evict Foro, "which has always shown itself to be against any type of violence."
The region has spent one 1 million euros ($1.29 million) on the building since it has been occupied, cleaning up its facade and making parts of the interior safe.
It has promised to repossess it soon to create offices and an exhibition space, but has said it plans to give Foro up to 1,076 square feet to continue its activities.
The group campaigning against the squat is furious. "This is a illegal grant which would reward an illegal occupation and what's more to a group from outside this community and very different from it," said one of the residents.
Nationalist Squatters Take Plum Site in Ancient Rome
Fri Feb 25, 8:06 AM ET
By Robin Pomeroy
ROME (Reuters) - It should be a real estate agent's dream: a huge, stately early 20th century house on three floors, a stone's throw from the Colosseum. Just one drawback: It is occupied by far right squatters.
While thousands of tourists admire the giant amphitheater, just one block away a group of ultra-nationalists, who also take their inspiration from ancient Rome, have occupied the impressive former public building.
Foro 753 is the name of the group which took over the derelict building at Via Capo d'Africa 27 more than a year ago. While they say they just want to create a community center, many locals view them as fascists and want them evicted.
"This has made the whole community furious," said a member of a group of locals campaigning to get them evicted.
"It's not the only squat in Rome, but the others are on the outskirts and are run by the far left," said the man who asked not to be identified.
It is not uncommon in Italy for groups of young people to create "social centers" in disused buildings -- using the places for artistic or recreational activities. But they are almost always run by the left and none are in such prime locations.
The arrival of a number of right-wing squats, and the tolerant reaction of the authorities, shows Italy's far right does not always fit the stereotype of thuggish skinheads.
Inside the cavernous building of 18,300 square feet, members of the group greet each other with the "Roman" handshake, clasping each other by the wrist.
The top floor of the building has been turned into a boxing gym, complete with punchbags and dumbbells.
"We do boxing classes," explained Stefano, a smartly dressed young 30-something.
"We also offer guitar lessons and English classes. Our aim is to relaunch this space for young people. We want to recreate a sense of community that once existed more than it does today."
MUSSOLINI AND MASSACRES
The group's aims seem innocuous, even laudable, with spaces used for debates, exhibitions and music rehearsal. In the hallway are stacked packs of mineral water which Foro is collecting to send to victims of the Asian tsunami.
But the banners adorning the walls, are written in an unmistakably fascist script. The group has held conferences on the architecture of Mussolini's Olympic stadium and a wartime massacre in the Balkans committed by communists.
Are they neo-fascists? "If we want to talk about fascism we need a whole historical debate," said Stefano who denies the group is violent or racist.
Indeed he says its anti-drugs policy makes it less of a threat to the local community than similar left-wing groups. "People have seen we are clean people; we just want to give the building back to the neighborhood."
Like much of Europe, Italy has a hard right movement that attracts many youngsters who feel let down by mainstream politics and threatened by immigration.
But in Italy, the historical home of fascism, the appeal of the right is sometimes more complex. Many hard-right groups use mythical references to the glory of the Roman empire, following the cultural lead of wartime dictator Benito Mussolini.
Former West Ham and Celtic soccer player Paolo di Canio, now the star striker at Rome soccer club Lazio, recently shocked many soccer fans outside Italy by giving a straight-armed Nazi-style salute after scoring against rival Rome team AS Roma.
Di Canio is a lifelong devotee of Lazio which has a hard-core of right-wing fans and has expressed his admiration for Mussolini. He said his "Roman" salute was cultural, rather than political.
That is how the Foro describes itself. "What's going on here is social. It doesn't have a political level," said Stefano, standing in the Marcus Aurelius room which, like other parts of the building, have been named after Roman emperors.
POLITICAL LINKS
But he says that Foro 753 is close politically to National Alliance, a conservative party which emerged in the 1990s from a post-war neo-fascist party and is now in government.
That party runs the Lazio regional government which owns the building in Via Capo d'Africa and locals say the right-wing politicians have turned a blind eye on the squatters who are of a similar political hue.
A Lazio official said the council was "against any type of squatting," but would not evict Foro, "which has always shown itself to be against any type of violence."
The region has spent one 1 million euros ($1.29 million) on the building since it has been occupied, cleaning up its facade and making parts of the interior safe.
It has promised to repossess it soon to create offices and an exhibition space, but has said it plans to give Foro up to 1,076 square feet to continue its activities.
The group campaigning against the squat is furious. "This is a illegal grant which would reward an illegal occupation and what's more to a group from outside this community and very different from it," said one of the residents.
