The massacre of Piazza della Loggia It took place in the “strategy of tension”, designed in the 70s by far -right movements. It was the attempt to overturn the democratic governmentmaking it appear weak, to establish a fascist matrix dictatorship. The massacre that took place in Piazza della Loggia, in Brescia, the May 28, 1974was one of the most bloody events of the strategy: the terrorists of the neo -fascist movement New order They placed a bomb in a basket of waste and exploded it during an event convened precisely to protest against terrorism. They lost their lives nine people. The procedural process, after attempts to sidetrack and coverage offered to the culprits, ended only in 2017 and has only partially ascertained the truth. Democracy, however, has survived to the attempts of subversion.
“The strategy of tension”
“The strategy of tension” was the set of Neo -fascist matrix attacks Made in Italy between the late 1960s and the early 1980s, which took place simultaneously with extreme left terrorism phenomena.
The purpose of the strategy was to create tension so as to make the democratic government appear unable to protect the order and thus favor the establishment of a fascist dictatorship. The attacks enjoyed the Support of some sectors of secret services and other state apparatuses; The most serious events were the following:
- there massacre of piazza fontanathat is, the explosion of a bomb at the National Bank of Agriculture in Milan, which took place on 12 December 1969, with the death of 17 people;
- there massacre by Gioia Taurowhich took place on 22 July 1970, when a bomb exploded on the tracks when the Syracuse-Turin train passage, killing 6 people;
- there massacre of Piazza della Loggia in Brescia in 1974, with the death of 9 people;
- there Italian train massacre massacrethat is, the explosion of a bomb on a wagon of the Rome-Brenner train, in a gallery in the province of Bologna, on August 4, 1974, with 12 victims;
- there Bologna massacre of 2 August 1980, when a bomb exploded at the station causing 85 victims: it was the most serious massacre in Italy after the Second World War;
- there Rapid 904 massacre massacrewhich took place on December 23, 1984 in the same area of the Italicus massacre, with the death of 17 people.
In the same period, far -right groups organized several State attempts, democracyhowever, turned out to be stronger than fascism And no attempt went to Porto.
The doors of the massacre in Piazza della Loggia
In 1974 in Brescia political and social tension It was particularly high. In the first months of the year The neo -fascists placed several bombs, including one in a supermarket in the Coop, one at the headquarters of the Socialist Party, one in a butcher shop. The attacks did not cause victims, but aroused concern in public opinion and democratic political forces. On 12 May, moreover, in Italy the referendum on divorce: 60% of Italians voted in favor of the measure, frightening the right forces. A few days later in Brescia the neo -fascist Silvio Ferrari He remained killed for the accidental outbreak of a bomb he wanted to place at the Cisl headquarters (the union near the Christian Democracy).
After this event, the democratic parties and unions, tired of terrorism, convened one Great anti -fascist demonstration. The main political and center political forces would have participated.
The explosion in Piazza della Loggia
The event began at 10.00 on May 28 in Piazza della Loggia, the main square of Brescia. They gathered Thousands of people: at 10 and 12 minutes, while a CISL trade unionist, Franco Castrezzatiwas talking from the stage, a bomb placed in a waste trash exploded. Six people killed were killed; Three more died subsequently from the wounds. THE Wounded were 104some of which suffered permanent injuries. At the funeral, held three days later in the same Piazza della Loggia, about 500,000 peoplewho wanted to show their indignation against the attacks. Some participants contested the President of the Republic, Giovanni Leone, who had also been elected thanks to the votes of the social movement, the far -right party.
Those responsible and covers
After the massacre, it appeared clear from the outset that the attack had neo -fascist matrix, However, the coverage guaranteed to the guilty of some state apparatuses meant that the first investigations did not produce concrete results. Just think that two hours after the explosion the firefighters they cleaned Piazza della Loggia with the hydrants, deleting all possible clues. According to the official version, the cleanliness was made because the sight of the blood disturbed the citizens, but there is a strong suspicion that the square was cleaned up to hinder investigations.
However, over the years, the truth has come to the surface, at least in part: the judicial process, after various trials concluded with acquittals, is Finished in 2017more than 40 years after the facts. It was ascertained that the principal of the massacre was the Right terrorist Carlo Maria Maggione of the members of the subversive organization New order. Other neo -fascists have been sentenced as material executors. The roofs offered by state apparatuses have never been ascertained.
