The Mayor Withdraw the Permit. No March; the Demonstration Will Take Place in Piazza Bra, Beneath the Statue of Victor Emmanuel II.
Three days before the demonstration scheduled for Saturday, September 22, Mayor Tosi says NO to the march for the 142nd anniversary of the Breach of Porta Pia.
The event will take place starting at 4:00 pm in Piazza Bra, under the statue of Vittorio Emanuele II.
WHAT HAPPENED? On September 7th, the Verona Radicals Association agreed on the march's route with the police commissioner and communicated it to the relevant municipal office. Today, 12 days after the communication and just 3 days before the demonstration, Mayor Tosi says NO to the march, and the police commissioner proposes limiting the demonstration to a rally in front of the statue of Vittorio Emanuele II.
WHY? Obviously, for alleged security and public order reasons related to the Tocatì – International Street Games Festival, taking place on the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd in the city's squares. Unfortunately, during a meeting with the police commissioner, it was the secretary of the Verona Radicals Association who mentioned the Festival's presence. However, the authorities, given the expected number of participants and the nonviolent nature of the radical demonstrations, authorized the march, with the recommendation—which was promptly accepted—to proceed calmly, without intermediate stops, towards the scheduled arrival point.
PRECEDENTS: This is not the first time the Tosi administration has intervened to limit freedom of expression and demonstration.
Some time ago, a demonstration against hunting, initially authorized, was then banned with only one day's notice.
In June 2012, with just one day's notice, the previously authorized posting of posters for the 3rd Day of Remembrance for Victims of Clerical Pedophilia was banned.
In October 2011, the posting of anti-hunting posters was banned.
It is clear that if any local administrator can arbitrarily and for reasons that are not always comprehensible ban any demonstration he dislikes, some fundamental and constitutionally recognized rights, such as those guaranteed by Articles 17 and 21 of the Constitution, are undermined.
“Article 17
Citizens have the right to assemble peacefully and unarmed.”
“Article 21
Everyone has the right to freely express their thoughts through speech, writing, and any other means of communication.”
REAFFIRM YOUR FREEDOM,
WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU ON SATURDAY 22 SEPTEMBER AT 4:00 PM IN PIAZZA BRA
The following are participating in the demonstration: Verona Radicals Association, Arcigay Verona Pianeta Urano, UAAR Verona, the "A. Provolo" Association of the Deaf, the Panganoti Cimbri Association, and the Vatican Pays You.
