# Don Milani statue plaque controversy continues

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/don-milani-statue-plaque-controversy
> Updated: 2026-08-01T12:45:14.000Z. Sources: 19. Developments: 3.

In late July 2026 Vagli di Sotto prepared to unveil a marble statue of priest Don Lorenzo Milani. A bronze plaque originally bore a strongly anti‑communist quotation that the Don’s former students, the Don Milani Foundation and other groups said was not found in his writings and contradicted his known teachings. They filed a legal warning and launched a petition demanding its removal before the scheduled inauguration on 31 July.

Mayor Mario Puglia ordered the disputed quotation stripped from the plaque, arguing it could fuel ideological division and that the tribute should remain politically neutral. Lawyer Pietro Ichino supported the removal, noting the passage’s inauthenticity. The decision sparked mixed reactions: left‑wing groups and former students criticized the excision, while others welcomed the effort to avoid politicising the memorial.

Despite the mayor’s earlier order, the statue was inaugurated on 31 July with the anti‑communist inscription still in place. Regional councilor Jacopo Maria Ferri (Forza Italia) and Movimento Autonomista Toscòno founder Alessandro Mazzerelli attended, and the municipal council, after further consultation, decided to keep the wording.

The Don Lorenzo Milani Foundation, led by president Agostino Burberi, reiterated that the plaque does not reflect Milani’s thought and announced legal action to have it altered or removed. The ANPI condemned the phrase as a revisionist distortion of Milani’s legacy, while the local group Fiamma Tricolore defended the monument. The controversy therefore continues, with legal and political battles expected to unfold.

## Claims

- A marble statue dedicated to Don Lorenzo Milani was inaugurated in Vagli Sotto, province of Lucca, Italy. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The plaque on the statue displays the phrase: “Il comunismo è la mediazione e l’organizzazione politica di ogni male, al fine di consentire a una classe dirigente parassitaria e brutale la gestione di (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Mayor Mario Puglia said the inscription will remain unchanged. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The Foundation Don Lorenzo Milani, led by president Agostino Burberi, requested removal or modification of the plaque. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Agostino Burberi announced legal action against the municipality over the plaque. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Regional councilor Jacopo Maria Ferri of Forza Italia attended the inauguration ceremony. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Alessandro Mazzerelli, founder of the Movimento Autonomista Toscano, claimed the quote is authentic and was heard from Milani in 1966. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The municipality received two letters from the Foundation asking for reconsideration, which it did not answer. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- A marble statue dedicated to Don Lorenzo Milani was inaugurated in Vagli Sotto, Lucca, Italy. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The plaque on the statue bears the phrase “Il comunismo è la mediazione e l’organizzazione politica di ogni male, al fine di consentire a una classe dirigente parassitaria e brutale la gestione di…”. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Regional councilor Jacopo Maria Ferri of Forza Italia attended the inauguration. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Alessandro Mazzerelli, founder of the Movimento Autonomista Toscano, attended and claimed the plaque’s phrase is authentic. (corroborated by 4 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-01: Vagli Sotto statue of Don Lorenzo Milani inaugurated amid controversy over anti‑communist plaque

Vagli Sotto inaugurated a Don Lorenzo Milani statue with a controversial anti‑communist plaque; the mayor kept the text despite foundation protests and legal threats.

12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vagli-sotto-statue-of-don-lorenzo-milani-sparks-anticommunist-row

### 2026-07-27: Don Lorenzo Milani statue in Vagli di Sotto to drop controversial anti‑communist inscription

A statue of Don Lorenzo Milani in Vagli di Sotto will be unveiled on 31 July; the mayor ordered removal of an anti‑communist quote on the plaque after legal experts said it isn’t authentic, sparking local left‑

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/don-lorenzo-milani-statue-in-vagli-di-sotto-to-drop-controversial-anticommunist-inscription

### 2026-07-25: Vagli statue of Don Lorenzo Milani sparks controversy over disputed anti‑communist plaque

In Vagli, Italy, a marble statue of Don Lorenzo Milani faces protest over a plaque bearing a phrase he never uttered, prompting calls to replace it before the July 31 inauguration.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vagli-statue-of-don-lorenzo-milani-sparks-controversy-over-disputed-anticommunist-plaque

---
Cite as: Don Milani statue plaque controversy continues. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/don-milani-statue-plaque-controversy