They're known in Italy as "ronde" or vigilante groups patrolling major cities. Those who volunteer for them say they help deter street crime. But critics say they're a platform for politically motivated bullies. Italy's parliament last week legalized private patrol groups as part of a controversial set of laws aimed at clamping down on crime. Interior Minister Roberto Maroni of the right-wing party Lega Nord has defended the measure. Maroni said this legislation will help make sure that existing groups adhere to strict regulations: small groups, armed only with mobile phones or walkie-talkies to alert the police. Giorgio Marchesich, who is in charge of the regional branch of the Volontari Verdi in Trieste said his group was very happy about the new law.
Italy's parliament last week legalized private patrol groups as part of a controversial set of laws aimed at clamping down on crime. Interior Minister Roberto Maroni of the right-wing party Lega Nord has defended the measure.
Maroni said this legislation will help make sure that existing groups adhere to strict regulations: small groups, armed only with mobile phones or walkie-talkies to alert the police.
Giorgio Marchesich, who is in charge of the regional branch of the Volontari Verdi in Trieste said his group was very happy about the new law.
The law is full of nasty loopholes that will allow private paramilitia to form without any enforceable way to disband them. The whole matter is part one of a long term strategy to create regional police forces, a cherished dream of the Lega Nord.
The ploy gave amazing results in Yugoslavia.
don't be black, don't be a gypsy, don't be gay, try not to look east european.
But they'll be so cute
But at rallies in the night with the torches burning bright I feel a stirring in me I can not neglect and I'll grab with mad abandon any man with an armband on and who's cute salute is manly and erect So if some blue eyed boy would care to teach me strength through joy and see to it that all my liberal tendencies are cured I like the boots I like the attitude and when they say heil I smile and liquify inside I like their skin i like their discipline
But heAnd hel keep to the Fen Causeway
Gaetano Saya is well-known here (and here) at Eurotrib for having created a secret parallel police force in 2004. He presently runs a fringe maniac party based on the superiority of the Aryan race.
Opposition protest over Saya's new civilian cop racket is re-enforced by the fact that the new law has no effective provisions to disband these organizations.
The Minister of the Interior, the leghista Roberto Maroni helped found the so-called Guardia Nazionale Padana [sic] known as the "Greenshirts." Here is a document he wrote in 1996 to institute the organization for the "Provisional Government of Padania." In the statue you may find a reference to practicing firearms as a moment of relax and recreation. There is also a call to Gandhi's principals of passive resistance to oppression. But the bottom line is that this new law will give the GNP legal recognition in the long term strategy to create an "ethnic" regional police force.
We may be witnessing the reoccurrence of party militia that plagued Europe in the 1920's and 30's.
