Thousands of Mussolini supporters mark fascist ‘March on Rome’ centenary
- Mussolini’s tomb in Predappio, Emilia-Romagnais, is a pilgrimage site that regularly attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year
- Sunday’s gathering differed from previous ones, however, with Fascist sympathisers expressing support for Italy’s new PM Giorgia Meloni
Thousands of supporters of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini paraded in his birthplace on Sunday to mark the centenary of the historic “March on Rome” that ushered in fascism.
Local police estimated a crowd of about 2,000 people gathered to march in the small hilly town of Predappio in Emilia-Romagna, Mussolini’s birthplace and site of his family crypt, where he is buried.
Mussolini’s tomb is a pilgrimage site that regularly attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year.
But Sunday’s gathering differed from previous ones, with Fascist sympathisers expressing support for Italy’s new government led by Giorgia Meloni, the most right-wing leader to take office since World War II.
“I’d have voted for Lucifer if he had defeated the left in Italy. So I’m glad we have the Meloni government,” said parade organiser Mirco Santarelli, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
Marching with banners and an enormous Italian flag, many in the crowd wore black in a nod to Mussolini’s notorious Blackshirts.
There were no reported incidents.