Genoa police investigation launched after removal of school inclusion banner

Police officers in plain clothes removed an inclusion banner titled “Qui nessun* è stranier*” (Here no one is a stranger) from the gates of the Daneo primary school in Genoa. The banner, created by teachers, parents, and students in multiple languages, was a protest against a new government decree that proposes a 30% cap on foreign students in classrooms.

The Genoa Police Headquarters stated that the intervention followed a report from local police regarding an alleged gathering near the school. Officers removed the banner, believing it to be an unauthorized posting, but returned it once they confirmed it had been placed by parents. The police have launched internal investigations to clarify the incident, emphasizing there were no orders from higher authorities to remove it.

Local officials and unions have criticized the action. Genoa Mayor Silvia Salis visited the school to support the community, describing the removal of a children's message as a “grave” act that frightened students. Teachers and parents reported that the officers acted abruptly, with some describing the encounter as intimidating to the children present.