The View from Bologna

This was only one of a series of incidents through November where Disobedienti turned the pressure up on both the government and the opposition, protesting against rising prices, and the increase of 'labour flexibility' (meaning, by Italian standards, no job security).

In Rome at the start of the month a crowd of activists descended upon a large supermarket and 'negotiated' an automatic discount for all shoppers of 70%. Later the same afternoon they descended upon a bookstore in central Rome and pulled off a similar stunt.

Here in Bologna, only a couple of days ago, this Monkey stumbled upon an act of "Proletarian Shopping", as it's labelled, when a group of scruffy looking protesters (one imagines that these wouldn't make it past the door of Harry's Bar, let alone run up a bar bill!) went into the Mel bookstore and again arranged a discount with the manager. They agreed to a 30% discount on new titles, and 60% on used books. Nearby, a group of Carabinieri hung around, unable to do anything. The manager of the shop was quoted as saying "in the end it's only a symbolic demonstration, these kids are trying to overcome real problems... they explained to me that they didn't want to cause problems or create tension, and then I said to myself, why not? At the end of the day, the auto-reduction of prices, done like this, in a civil way, might have sense. The problem, excessive prices for books, and everything else, is real"[1]. He went on to say that he hoped, by presenting the receipts to publishers, that they'd help him out on his loss (God love him).

While political figures across the board have come out strongly against the 'shopping', including the socialist mayor of Rome Walter Veltroni, and Fausto Bertinotti the leader of Rifondazione Comunista (in the past one of the more militant leaders of the left), who said that the action was "a mistake and counterproductive"[2], the main reaction from people this Monkey has spoken to has been one of amusement, and understanding. I for one tip my hat to the audacity and inventiveness of the activists, probably because I don't own a shop that could be targeted (Strangely, Berlusconi's chain of Mondadori shops haven't been touched).

The interior minister, Pisanu of Forza Italia, said after the incidents in Rome that, while a lenient attitude had initially been taken with the activists, to avoid creating further public disorder or panic, any further actions would result in arrests.[3]

Yesterday, Forza Italia and their coalition partners passed an extensive bill reforming the Judiciary. The reforms have been widely criticised, and were described in an interview with Three Monkeys Online by David Lane, business and finance correspondent in Italy for the Economist, as "a vindictive campaign against the Judiciary". Amongst the reforms was a controversial amendment, tabled by Berlusconi's party, which would reduce sentences for a number of offences (just as they did with false accounting), and, in the case of people convicted aged 70 years or over, would suspend any prison sentence. This has been labelled the "save Previti" clause, because one of Berlusconi's closest associates, former lawyer, and co-accused in a number of corruption cases Cesare Previti, aged 70 this very year. In addition, through new regulations approved by this clause, the statute of limitations has been changed for certain offences, applying to Mr Previti, to ten years. It's a mere coincidence of course that Mr Previti's crimes date to 1994, ten years ago.

You don't have to be a legal expert to work out that 50 anarchists on a 'proletarian shopping' spree don't pose the greatest risk to Italian society. At least they paid something...

[1]"In fondo, e' solo una dimostrazione simbolica, questi ragazzi sollevano un problema reale...mi hanno spiegato che non volevano causare problemi, che non avevano intenzione di creare tensione. E allora mi sono detto: perche' no?.. In fondo l'autoriduzione, fatta cosi, in modo civile, puo` avere un senso. Il problema del costo eccessivo dei libri, come di tutto il resto, e` reale." La Repubblica 1st December.
[1]"Quella di sabato e' stata una azione sbagliata e controproducente, un atto incomprensibile ai piu' " -Italy Global Nation
[2]"Sono state impartite precise disposizioni ai questori affinché i responsabili vengano perseguiti con fermezza e denunciati all´autorità giudiziaria operando anche, ove possibile, arresti in flagranza di reato" -La Repubblica 8 November