Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni didn’t hold back in her criticism of Bologna’s Mayor Matteo Lepore after he blamed her government, especially Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, for violent clashes in Bologna. The confrontations occurred when left-wing groups attempted to disrupt a demonstration by the far-right groups Rete dei Patrioti and CasaPound. Meloni condemned the clashes and expressed solidarity with law enforcement officers.
In a video address to a right-wing rally in Bologna, Meloni offered her “full support to the police officers who faced violence yesterday, risking their safety amidst fireworks and stones.” She then turned her attention to Lepore, accusing him of invoking the “black shirt card” to disparage her government, a tactic she claimed is typical of the left when lacking substance or vision.
Meloni didn’t mince words, dismissing Lepore’s remarks as a baseless attack and accusing him of hypocrisy. “I am wary of politicians who show one face in public and another in private,” she said, suggesting that while Lepore criticizes her in public, he seeks her collaboration behind closed doors. She questioned the mayor’s consistency, saying, “If you truly believe I am a fascist, then why ask for my help? A bit of coherence, please.”
Interior Minister Piantedosi was equally vocal, expressing disappointment in Lepore’s statements. “The government has consistently shown support and cooperation with Bologna, most recently during the floods. Yet now, the integrity of our public safety operations is being called into question,” Piantedosi remarked, adding that the claims of undue interference from Rome were both “irresponsible” and “unfounded.”
Mayor Lepore, in response, defended his stance, stating that Bologna’s public safety committee had opposed allowing the far-right demonstration in the city center due to security risks, adding that such events “have never been held in central Bologna.” He implied national authorities may have intervened, criticizing what he perceived as the government’s political grandstanding rather than a sincere commitment to public safety.
