About one hundred demonstrators, The entire urban center under siege. Black smoke bombes, the launch of some paper bombs, an agent remained injured and transported to the hospital. The walls of the palaces, of the churches (such as that of the venerated Santa Messina, Eustocchia Calafato) and of the smeared monuments. Here are the results of the “Carnival in action” of a group of “no bridge” activists who yesterday organized a procession in the area of via XXIV Maggio and viale Boccetta. Moments of strong tension, some charges of lightening by the police, policemen and carabinieri repeatedly caused with denigrating and offensive choirs. “It is only the beginning,” the promoters of the Carnival march have shouted to the megaphone, suggesting that he wants to transform the Strait of Messina into a new Val di Susa. There for years they have acted – with manifestations of legitimate dissent but also with real terrorist acts, such as the bombs broke into the processing areas of the new high -speed line between Turin and Lyon – the “No Tav”. Here a fringe of “no bridge” prepares “for the resistance” against the possible future construction sites of the stable connection between Sicily and Calabria. It should be noted that yesterday’s event was organized only by part of the “Nopontist” associations and committees.
The procession started in a carnival atmosphere with sounds and colors, street artists and men on stoves, then degenerated, with increasingly “heavy” choirs and above all vandal actions, such as writing with the spray paint on the walls of houses, schools, churches and monumental goods. Writings praising the “Anti-Ponte” revolution, against the “Strait of Messina” and the webuild company, particularly offensive against policemen and carabinieri. On Viale Boccetta, the police implemented a position, after the explosion of a paper bomb and the injury of an agent, who was hospitalized for investigations. The tension remained high, until the procession has melted, but the clashes continued in the evening, in the area of Piazza Antonello.
In Messina, over the decades, numerous events were held, some also imposing (such as the march of the twenty thousand of 2011), at least three in the last 12 months, but there have never been episodes of violence or damage to the public and private structures of the city. Yesterday was the first time and is a disturbing signal, for what could happen in the coming months.
The mayor Federico Basile and his junta, at the end of the procession, expressed, on behalf of the city, indignation: “During the procession” No bridge “, serious episodes of tension occurred that have nothing to do with the legitimate right to demonstrate. We respect all positions and freedom of expression, but we firmly condemn those who exploit the manifestations to carry out acts of violence and vandalism. The civil and democratic comparison must always be the basis of any debate, without leaving room for those looking for only clashes and disorders. We express our solidarity with the police and, in particular, to the agent who was injured by the clashes. The municipal administration is close to him and wishes him a speedy recovery. We hope that those who have exploited the event to perform vandalism or create unrest are identified and persecuted according to the law “. The Municipality will ask for compensation for damages caused by the actions of the protesters.
The vice -premier and minister of transport also intervened, Matteo Salvini: «Solidarity to the women and men of the police, who were attacked in Messina by violent who took to the streets to say no to the bridge over the Strait. Those who have no arguments choose violence. We have chosen to relaunch Italy, modernizing it from north to south, and we will not be intimidated by vandals that attack the policemen and smear the cities ». Of the same tenor, the declaration of the Messina Senator Nino Germanà, regional commissioner of the League and secretary of the Infrastructure Commission of Palazzo Madama: “Solidarity with the women and men of the police, attacked in Messina by the demonstrators” No bridge, and in particular to the agent who was injured in the clashes. When there are no valid arguments to defend one’s theses, violence and incivility is used. I am confident of the ability of the police, so that the managers are identified and the stop and security measures are leaning ».
To manifest “solidarity with the police for vile and ignoble attacks during the” no bridge “procession”, the Senator of Italy Viva, Dafne Musolino, who adds: “Manifestating does not mean attacking policemen and carabinieri or shooting riders or smear walls and monuments with indecent writings. If this is the use you make of democracy, then you have not understood anything and you are not worthy of those rights that have also been conquered with the extreme sacrifice of valiant heroes. That no one allows themselves to compare these masked demonstrators to new paladins of the protest! ».
The Senator of Fdi, Ella Bucalo and the Undersecretary for relations with the Parliament, Matilde Siracusano, also intervene. “What happened in Messina is unacceptable – says the Deputé of Forza Italia -. Insults, intolerance, walls of the center smeared with unworthy writings, violence against the police. It is absurd to express with such methods. Firm condemnation for what happened, and solidarity with the police who have managed the most tense moments of the day with great professionalism ».
Many citizens have expressed, with posts on social networks and messages received by our editorial staff, all their bewilderment for the scenes seen: “The art. 21 of the Constitution reads verbatim: “Everyone has the right to freely manifest their thoughts with the word, the writing and any other means of diffusion”. Even with the most extensive interpretations I do not believe that, among the means of dissemination, the disfigurement and vandalism of public and/or private assets are part of the means. What happened on March 1, 2025 in Messina is scandalous », writes Alberto Jaci.
