Milan court dismisses charges against 18 militants over Roman salute

A Milan judge has dismissed charges against 18 far-right militants who performed the ‘Roman salute’ during a 2023 procession in Milan. The individuals, associated with groups including Lealtà e Azione, Casapound, and Movimento Nazionale, were originally investigated for fascist propaganda, manifestation, and incitement to commit crimes based on racial discrimination.

The procession was held to commemorate Sergio Ramelli, a Fronte della Gioventù militant killed in 1975. In the request for dismissal, the public prosecutor argued that the gestures did not pose a concrete danger to the democratic framework of the Italian Republic or suggest the reconstitution of the Fascist Party. The prosecution stated that the salute in this specific context was not an expression of intolerance or discrimination, but rather an intent to honor the memory of the deceased.

The decision follows legal precedents set by the United Sections of the Court of Cassation in early 2024 regarding the ‘call of the present’ and the use of the Roman salute during public meetings.