Liberation Day still source of unrest

Every year on 25th April Italy celebrates its Festa della Liberazione to mark freedom from fascist-nazi rule in the country at the end of the Second World War in 1945. Although it is also considered a day of national unity and celebration of freedom, the day is never without its moments of tension between the main political powers and protest groups.
Despite an appeal by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano for a ‘tranquil’ celebration and a call for national unity in view of next years celebration of 150 years of Italy as a unified country, centre-right local authority speakers were heckled at outdoor public meetings in both Milan and Rome. Newly elected regional president Renata Polverini was unable to address the crowds due to protests and in Milan Mayor Letizia Moratti was heckled with cries of “get out of Milan!”. Posters celebrating fascism and signed by Il Duce also appeared in the capital, which were dismissed by Mayor Alemanno as “nostalgic stupidity”
In true media mogul style Silvio Berlusconi gave an unprecedented speech to the nation across TV channels inviting evryone to put political differences aside in order to continue with a new phase of building Italy in full respect of freedom and democracy, underlining the importance of new reforms.
Although the day is traditionally a celebration of the partisans without whom liberation from fascism would not have been possible, the centre-right Mayor of Salerno in Southern Italy outraged partisan organisations by stating that they had been liberated solely by the American forces. British veterans also reacted angrily to the news (see Mail online)