The Bigio controversy earned the Corriere della Sera‘s attention again today with an article by Alessandra Troncana in the paper’s local news section (original article here).

The article focuses on the ANPI/FIAMME VERDI’s opposition against plans to restore the 24-ft high “Fascist Era” statue to the central Piazza della Vittoria in Brescia and the growing debate on the issue on social networks, particularly Twitter. Having noticed how two well-known national media pundits, Luca Bottura and Andrea Scanzi, have retweeted and commented on the Bigio controversy on Twitter, the paper goes on to quote president Giulio Ghidotti of ANPI Brescia, who warns that ANPI will make sure this issue is not overlooked, both inside and outside the Country.

“This Bigio affair” – according to Mr Ghidotti – “is raising concerns beyond the national boundaries.”

However, ANPI is not simply sitting and waiting for attention to build up around this.

ANPI Brescia’s honorary president (and a very young armed Partizan in the Italian Resistance war) Lino Pedroni “has already asked to meet Brescia’s mayor Adriano Paroli: you must consider this is a “revanchist” operation, and it is worrying.”

“Should mayor Paroli decide to proceed with his plans, he will face an even stronger opposition, albeit absolutely non-violent.”

“If and when they decide to move this statue to Piazza della Vittoria, they will find a “human wall” ready in Via Rose, where the statue has been kept for years. We are going to physically interpose ourselves.”

More on this issue:

• Brescia says No to a 24-ft high fascist statue towering over its central Piazza della Vittoria

• Italian Democratic Party (#PD) in #Brescia reviews cost of #Fascist statue to a staggering 460,000 €

• Former Mayor Paolo Corsini (PD) says No to the Bigio being restored to central Brescia

• Brescia’s “Fascist Era” controversy on Radio Popolare. Interview with president of ANPI Brescia Giulio Ghidotti, 22nd March 2013

• Rally / flash mob against “Fascist Era” statue on National TV network RAI, 23rd March

• Concerns expressed on Brescia’s “Fascist Era” statue by president of the Shoah Museum Rome
• Brescia’s Fascist Era statue on the Guardian, Saturday 6th April 2013

For more information, please e-mail: comunicati.brescia@anpi.it