The police unions against Antonello Venditti: “Irresponsible statements, clarify things”

Antonello Venditti's statements on the police force spark controversy. The unions' response was not long in coming

ROME – “A character so loved and with such a strong impact on young people should think before making such irresponsible statements“: the response to singer Antonello Venditti fromis immediate Fsp, one of the most representative organizations in the trade union panorama of the State Police. The Roman singer has openly sided with the young university students who have been protesting in favor of Palestine in recent weeks in the main Italian universities, and beyond. But above all, it has put “the limits” on the role of the police forces presiding over the ongoing demonstrations, in which there has also been no shortage of repressive interventions with the use of force and truncheons, as in Pisa , Florence, Naples.

Venditti “criticized the State Police with words that were absolutely out of place, on something that he evidently does not know – in fact he says Valter Mazzetti, General Secretary of the FSP State Police – which is justified given that the His job is to make music and not safety.” “In a democratic country – continues Mazzetti – everyone has the right to demonstrate and it is the Police who guarantee it. It is no coincidence that in 2024 we will manage around 15,000 demonstrations, ensuring that order and security which, however, they must belong to everyone. In order to prevent as many dangers as possible and prevent problems from occurring, as in fact happens in almost all cases thanks to the high professionalism of the police forces, there are, however, precise requirements that the demonstrators must respect, and being authorized does not at all mean doing everything that comes into your head“. Therefore, “we are the ones who say to the beloved singer-songwriter – urges the trade unionist – that in a democratic country one does not demonstrate by violating laws and rules of any kind, starting from when one arbitrarily decides to change the routes of the processions”. Too often it is not possible to apply the foreseen provisions, concludes Mazzetti, “given that still – he comments – there are those who go so far as to try to ‘force’ law enforcement services by attacking officers by any means who should not even be touched” .

SIULP: “CLARIFY STATEMENTS, DEDICATE A SONG TO WHOM SERVES THE COUNTRY”

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of “Cuore”, the very famous album by Antonello Venditti, the artist celebrated this anniversary at the Ministry of Culture by recalling the famous song “Night before exams”. In the singer’s utterances there is also a reference to the police forces who must accompany the demonstrations of young people and to the police in particular, who must defend democracy: “We thank Antonello Venditti for the trust he places in the State Police, in women and in the men who sacrifice themselves every day to guarantee precisely those values that the singer mentioned: security and freedom as well as democracy. However, I hope that in the heat of the moment, Venditti has misunderstood the role of the young people who take to the streets to. manifest their ideain that process essential for the growth of a democracy, and also the role of all women and men in uniform who participate in ensuring that our young people can enjoy the right that the Constitutional Charter establishes and that the Public Security authority guarantees. Perhaps he was referring to the professionals of disorder, who do not miss an opportunity even in the face of the spontaneity of our young students to exploit every opportunity, displaying gratuitous violence and looting of our cities in an unusual way. . Proof of this is the fact that for over 40 years we have guaranteed safety and freedom in all concerts and on every occasion in which Venditti has participated in his singing art; as well as, in confirmation of the professionals of disorder, who use violence as the only language to make their existence known, in addition to the scenes of devastation that accompany the history of our country and have disfigured the squares of our cities, even the gratuitous disfigurements, like those perpetrated last May 5th in Genoa when, in addition to defacing the windows and signs of the usual multinationals and banks, a group of cars were damaged because they were parked in front of one of our police stations, and therefore believed to be the property of policemen”. Thus Felice Romano , General Secretary of SIULP, the majority union in the Security, Defense and Public Rescue sector, comments on Antonello Venditti’s statements.

“Knowing Venditti’s human and professional path, the call to accompany the students’ demonstrations, so that they can express their ideas, I believe and hope was not directed at the women and men of the State Police and the Security Forces order in general, but to all those criminals, professionals of disorder, who with their violent behavior try in every way to obscure the genuineness and beauty of youthful effervescence that seeks a confrontation to increase and consolidate democracy /strong>. If this were not the case, then it would truly be an unexpected ‘high tide’ which, moved by the worst currents of the stormy sea, crashes onto the beach, destroying everything, both the good things and those who defend them, without however affecting the bad guys. and the violent people who, being prejudiced, run away in haste, evading it. I am sure – concludes Romano – that Venditti will not fail to clarify the real significance of his statements. Maybe, and I thank him for this right from the start, dedicating one of his new songs to the women and men who serve our country to guarantee security, freedom and to defend democracy, for which, unfortunately many, have not hesitated to sacrifice one’s life”.