Controversy erupts after the guerrilla warfare in Bologna. Bignami (FdI): "Lepore tolerates anything." The League: "Arrest anyone who invades the highway."

Bologna, October 3, 2025 – The calls for calm and non-violence this morning are not enough. Bologna's mayor, Matteo Lepore , "raises flags, lets people camp in the square, tolerates anything. Until things like last night happen," noted Galeazzo Bignami, leader of the Brothers of Italy (FdI) in the Chamber of Deputies, today after his meeting with Police Chief Antonio Sbordone.

After yesterday afternoon's demonstration, groups, anarchists, and Maranza protesters set fire to the Bologna train station, forcing police to use tear gas and batons. The fighting continued into the night, for over three hours, forcing Trenitalia to suspend train service. This morning, Mayor Lepore issued a statement condemning the incident and calling for peaceful protests.

"It's bitterly amusing to hear Lepore today calling for condemnation of acts of violence that he should probably prevent from ever happening. Is it too late? It's never too late," Bignami continued, responding to reporters. "But someone should have a sense of institutionality and stop trying to achieve a consensus that, in reality, is unattainable. Because these people always add a plus one, but above all, they legitimize, with a sense of impunity, behavior that our law enforcement agencies must then address for the safety of us all, even at the cost of numerous injuries, as occurred last night."

The clashes after the march: a chronicle of a city held hostage – by G. Dondi

18 photos

The Constitution guarantees the "full expression of opinions" and even "the right to demonstrate in the streets," so "the strike itself isn't the problem, which is precisely a constitutional right ." Bignami emphasized this, responding to a question about today's new strike. "The problem," the Melonian then added, "is when those who organize them don't worry about preventing the emergence of groups—I'd like to say fringe groups, but they're increasingly numerous—that then fuel clashes and violence. That's the problem, not the demonstration."

"Everyone has the right to demonstrate, no one has the right to infringe on the rights of others," echoed Senator Marco Lisei of the Brothers of Italy party. "This is why, following the umpteenth closure of highways and the ring road near Bologna, which is affecting the entire highway network in the Northeast, we expect a prompt response to those responsible for this initiative. There are hundreds and hundreds of trucks, cars with workers and families, and vehicles of all kinds stuck on the highway, causing incalculable damage to the national economy and causing unacceptable inconvenience to citizens that goes beyond the right to strike. All of this is the result of the reckless and unscrupulous political exploitation of the ideologically armed left, fomented by an irresponsible union that cares nothing about Gaza or the suffering of the Palestinians, but only about causing harm to Italy."

In Bologna, the League is calling for the "arrest" of the thousands of people who today, during the demonstration and general strike for Gaza and for the Global Sumud Flotilla , poured onto the ring road and the highway.

"The violent fringe of the demonstration has invaded the highway and the ring road. The rights of tens of thousands of people have been wiped out in one fell swoop. This is yet another attempt to block key transport hubs across Italy, first the train station, now the highways," said city councilor Matteo Di Benedetto in a statement.

"Those who use violence are not peace protesters, they are guerrillas who want to subvert the country's social order. They are using the Gaza excuse," the Northern League representative continued, "to try to obtain by force what they failed to achieve at the polls."

These are "violent and anti-democratic people who must be identified, arrested," Di Benedetto said, "and convicted for their actions. Immediate, forceful responses are needed from all institutions; we cannot back down in the face of those who seek to impose themselves through violence. There are hundreds of thousands of silent citizens who are being trampled upon by violent protesters and must be protected.