Rightist CasaPound school movement
Blocco Studentesco on Thursday night replaced a mural by street
artist Harry Greb showing an Italy player taking the knee for
Black Lives Matter with a poster from the 1934 World Cup showing
an Azzurro standing up and giving the Fascist salute, adding the
tag "Stay standing, Italy".
Blocco Studentesco said "Kneeling, for us, is not a form of
respect for anyone, it's better to stand up and look each other
in the face".
Italian professional footballers association AIC said Thursday
that it was time to stop a "defamatory campaign" against the
Italy players over their stance on taking the knee at Euro 2020.
Unlike some national teams, the Azzurri did not take the knee in
support of the Black Lives Matter movement before their victory
over Austria in the last 16 of the tournament last week.
Five of the starting XI took the knee before Italy's last group
game against Wales.
In a statement to ANSA, the AIC said it "unreservedly
stigmatizes the defamatory, biased campaign against the Italian
national team players.
"All of the Azzurri are our members," added the union ahead of
Italy's quarter-final against Belgium in Munich on Friday.
"They have all leant their faces and their images to be the lead
figures in the numerous initiatives against any form of racism
and discrimination that we have been doing for years".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
