Civilization is a dam against
violence, President Sergio Mattarella said Friday after last
weekend's alleged attack on Florence high school students by
right-wing youth militants.
Two pupils were punched and kicked on the ground outside
Florence's Michelangelo high scool on Saturday and police have
identified six young members of the Azione Studentesca
right-wing group, including three minors, as suspects.
Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara faced a massive backlash
on Thursday after he blasted the school's head teacher who
warned of the risk of Fascism after the attack.
Valditara tried to soften his stance after the furore Friday
stressing that he had not called for any disciplinary action
against the principal.
In his remarks to new young 'ensigns of the Republic' Friday,
Mattarella said "You act as so many girls and boys do in Italy
and in other countries, practising solidarity, common
commitment. All this is an antidote, a dam, even against
violence, and for this I thank you, because it points to a model
of life that is opposed to that of arrogance, overpowering,
violence.
"We unfortunately see it often: violence in families, violence
in homes, violence against women, violence in many circumstances
in the street, in recent days even in front of a school against
children".
On Friday Mattarella appointed as ensigns 30 young people whose
meritorious conduct has distinguished them as positive role
models for Italian youth.
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