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{{Short description|Political movement in Italy}}
{{Short description|Political movement in Italy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019|cs1-dates=y}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox civil conflict
{{Infobox civil conflict
| title = Sardines movement
| title = Sardines movement

Revision as of 13:13, 17 December 2019

Sardines movement
First Sardines' demonstration in Piazza Maggiore, Bologna
Date14 November 2019 – ongoing
(4 years, 7 months and 23 days)
Location
 Italy
Caused by
Methods
Number
ca. 200000[5][6][7][8][9]

The Sardines movement (Italian: movimento delle sardine), more simply known as Sardines, and also known as Sardines against Salvini, is a grassroots political movement, which began in Italy in November 2019.[1][2][10] The movement organized an ongoing series of peaceful demonstrations to protest against the right-wing surge in the country, and more specifically against the political rhetoric of right-wing leader Matteo Salvini.[11] The name "Sardines" came from the idea of organizing their rallies with high numbers of participants, packed like sardines in herd.[1][12]

History

Birth in Emilia-Romagna

The Sardines Movement started as a flash mob on 14 November 2019, organized in Piazza Maggiore, the main square of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna. The aim of the event was to contrast the launch of Matteo Salvini's electoral campaign for the 2020 regional election at the PalaDozza in Bologna.[13][14] The slogan of the event was "Bologna non si Lega", which litterally means "Bologna does not tie", but it has also a second meaning: "Bologna does not show allegiance to the League".[15] The flash mob, which was named "6000 Sardines" (with the aim of exceeding the 5570 sitting capacity of PalaDozza), was joined by almost 15000 people, surprising the whole country and receiving a large media coverage.[16][17]

The movement rose up during the electoral campaign for the 2020 Emilia-Romagna regional election, which has been considered as the first competitive one in the history of the region.[18] In fact, despite having always been considered the main of the "red regions" – a stronghold of left-wing parties since the end of the World War II – in the 2018 general election the centre-right coalition became the largest political force in Emilia-Romagna. The Sardines Movement started properly with the aim of preventing the right-wing victory in January 2020 election.[19]

The first Sardines' rally was warmly welcomed by the Democratic Party (PD), especially by its secretary Nicola Zingaretti, its president and former Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and Emilia-Romagna incumbent governor Stefano Bonaccini.[20][21][22] Former Prime Minister and PD's founding father, Romano Prodi, stated that the Sardines are "formidable", adding that they must not be neither "colonized" nor "exploited" by any party.[23]

On 18 November, a second Sardines' rally gathered Piazza Grande in Modena, with more than 7000 people taking part in the event.[2][24] During the rally, protesters chanted Bella ciao: the anti-fascist resistance song became one of the main slogan of the movement.[25]

Spreading through the country

Sardine's rally in Modena

In December, the movement spread outside Emilia-Romagna. On 1 December, more than 25000 people participated in a rally in Piazza Duomo in Milan,[26] while on the previous day, almost 30000 gathered Piazza della Repubblica in Florence.[27] On 10 December, 40000 people demonstrated in Turin in Piazza Castello.[28]

On 14 December, one month after their first rally, Sardines organized a demonstration in Rome at Piazza San Giovanni.[29] According to the organizers almost 100000 people joined the rally.[30] During Rome's demonstration, Sardines' de facto leader, Mattia Santori, presented the movement's proposals to politics, which included, among others, political transparency, condemnation of hate speech, laws against verbal violence and a new immigration policies.[31] Santori especially asked to Giuseppe Conte's government to abolish the so-called "Salvini Decree",[32] a law approved by the previous government, which contained a series of hardline measures that abolished key forms of protection for migrants and made it easier for them to be deported. The decree also suspended the refugee application process of those who were considered "socially dangerous" or who had been convicted of a crime.[33]

Ideology

The movement declares itself not linked to any party and to mainly pursue the ideals of anti-fascism and the fight against racial discrimination,[34] as well as the rejection of right-wing populism and verbal violence in Italian politics, which they claim should be legally considered as physical violence.[35] The Sardines Movement has been generally considered on the left-wing of the political spectrum[36] and has been compared to Girotondi and Purple People, two grassroots movements which rose up in the 2000s to protest against then Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.[37][38]

According to some political commentators, the movement would be limited only to a generic critique of the right-wing, with its open opposition to Matteo Salvini, who is depicted as an authoritarian and undemocratic leader. Moreover critics accused the Sardines of supporting the ruling centre-left government of Giuseppe Conte.[39]

References

  1. ^ a b c Balmer, Crispian (26 November 2019). "A can-do challenge? Italian 'sardines' take on Salvini". Reuters. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Tondo, Lorenzo (14 December 2019). "'Sardines' against Salvini: Italy's fight against the far right". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  3. ^ "I sei punti delle Sardine per una politica seria e senza odio". Globalist (in Italian).
  4. ^ "Sardine a Bruxelles: 'Siamo in piazza contro i sovranismi'". Repubblica Tv - la Repubblica.it (in Italian). 14 December 2019.
  5. ^ Carlino, il Resto del (15 November 2019). "Bologna, sardine in piazza Maggiore. "Quindicimila al flash mob, è suonata la sveglia"". il Resto del Carlino (in Italian).
  6. ^ "Milano, 25mila "Sardine" sotto la pioggia riempiono piazza Duomo | Sul palco anche Saviano". Tgcom24 (in Italian).
  7. ^ "Sardine a Firenze: "Siamo 40mila". E parte 'Bella ciao'". Adnkronos (in Italian).
  8. ^ "Sardine a Torino: "Siamo 40 mila"". Rainews (in Italian).
  9. ^ Caccia, Fabrizio (14 December 2019). "Le Sardine conquistano piazza San Giovanni: "Siamo in 100mila. E da adesso inizia la fase due"". Corriere della Sera (in Italian).
  10. ^ "Le parole della neopolitica - Sardine". Treccani, l'Enciclopedia italiana (in Italian).
  11. ^ Horowitz, Jason (14 December 2019). "Italy's New 'Sardines' Movement Packs Piazzas to Protest Far-Right Leader". The New York Times.
  12. ^ Giuffrida, Angela (19 November 2019). "'Sardines against Salvini': Italians pack squares in protest against far right". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  13. ^ "Emilia Romagna, Salvini lancia la campagna elettorale: "Prima liberiamo Bologna e poi Firenze"" (in Italian). 14 November 2019.
  14. ^ "Italy's 'Sardines' to bring protest movement against far right to Rome". France 24. 14 December 2019.
  15. ^ "'Sardines' say party over for populists". ANSA.it. 21 November 2019.
  16. ^ "Tens of thousands turn out for anti-Salvini 'sardine' protest". euronews. 1 December 2019.
  17. ^ Balmer, Crispian (19 November 2019). "Italy's anti-Salvini 'sardines' movement spreads, plans more protests". Reuters. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  18. ^ Giacomin, Paolo (3 November 2019). "L'Emilia contendibile. Ma i grillini saranno l'ago della bilancia". QuotidianoNet (in Italian).
  19. ^ Agnessi, Enrico (11 December 2019). "Sardine in piazza a Imola. Mattia Santori: "Andate a votare il 26 gennaio"". il Resto del Carlino (in Italian).
  20. ^ "Zingaretti lavora ad alleanze larghe e blinda il governo". Agi (in Italian).
  21. ^ "Gentiloni, offerta Sardine è impopulista - Ultima Ora". Agenzia ANSA (in Italian). 23 November 2019.
  22. ^ "Bonaccini lancia l'amo alle Sardine e stuzzica i leghisti: c'è il voto disgiunto". lastampa.it (in Italian). 8 December 2019.
  23. ^ "Sardine, Prodi: "Formidabili, non devono essere colonizzate da nessuno"". Il Fatto Quotidiano (in Italian). 6 December 2019.
  24. ^ "Bis 'sardine' a Modena, sono in 7mila. FOTO - Emilia-Romagna". Agenzia ANSA (in Italian). 18 November 2019.
  25. ^ "Migliaia in piazza a Modena contro Salvini: le sardine cantano Bella ciao". Repubblica Tv - la Repubblica.it (in Italian). 18 November 2019.
  26. ^ "Le Sardine nuotano e si prendono piazza Duomo: 25 mila sotto la pioggia per dire "Milano non si lega"". Repubblica.it (in Italian). 1 December 2019.
  27. ^ "Firenze, manifestazione delle "sardine": "Siamo quarantamila"". Repubblica.it (in Italian). 30 November 2019.
  28. ^ "Sardine sotto la Mole, quaranta mila in piazza Castello per il flash mob". Repubblica.it (in Italian). 10 December 2019.
  29. ^ "Le foto delle "sardine" a Roma". Il Post (in Italian). 14 December 2019.
  30. ^ "Le sardine conquistano piazza San Giovanni. Santori: "Siamo 100mila, obiettivo raggiunto"". Repubblica.it (in Italian). 14 December 2019.
  31. ^ "Sardine, leader Santori: "Ecco le nostre proposte"". Adnkronos (in Italian).
  32. ^ "Sardine, dall'abrogazione dei decreti Sicurezza alla trasparenza dei politici sull'uso dei social network: le sei proposte lette dal palco di Roma". Il Fatto Quotidiano (in Italian). 15 December 2019.
  33. ^ Giuffrida, Angela (24 September 2018). "Italian government approves Salvini bill targeting migrants". The Guardian.
  34. ^ "Rep". rep.repubblica.it (in Italian).
  35. ^ "Sardine, le sei richieste del movimento alla politica. Meno violenza verbale, meno ministri in tv e via i decreti Salvini". Repubblica.it (in Italian). 15 December 2019.
  36. ^ "Sardine: "Non faremo un partito, appoggio alle liste di sinistra"". Repubblica.it (in Italian). 16 December 2019.
  37. ^ "Dai Girotondi alle Sardine: l'abbraccio tra le generazioni della sinistra". Video: ultime notizie - Corriere TV (in Italian).
  38. ^ "Care Sardine, non fate come noi Girotondi". L'HuffPost (in Italian). 9 December 2019.
  39. ^ Chi sono le "sardine": storia di un movimento e del suo nome
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