‘Nothing can justify’ Bologna violence says PM, Meloni criticises Vannacci AI gladiator video, and more news from Italy on Wednesday.

Meloni says ‘nothing can justify’ Bologna violence

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni denounced violence that erupted in Bologna on Monday following a vigil for 42-year-old Abderrahim Fakir, who died on Sunday after police pepper-sprayed and restrained him face-down in Bologna's Pilastro district.

The Moroccan-born man’s death would be investigated “with the utmost rigour”, Meloni wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday, but added: “nothing can justify violence against the police”, accusing those behind the protests of “fomenting a climate of hatred” against “those who serve Italy every day with professionalism, sacrifice and courage.”

Monday’s vigil in Piazza Nettuno, organised by Bologna’s centre-left mayor Matteo Lepore, went ahead without incident, but a demonstration that separately broke out in the city’s Piazza Roosevelt descended into violence, leaving police and protestors injured.

Lepore in an open letter to the city said Bologna on Monday had seen “two piazzas”. “Piazza Nettuno represents Bologna”, he wrote; “Piazza Rossevelt and the clashes, however, do not”.

Meloni criticises Vannacci AI gladiator video

Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday distanced herself from an AI video posted by Roberto Vannacci, leader of the new radical right National Future party, depicting him as a Roman emperor condemning the leaders of Italy’s opposition parties to death in a gladiatorial arena.

“That video does not reflect who I am, nor my approach to political debate," said Meloni, who appears sitting next to Vannacci in the video.

“I have always believed that politics should be a contest of ideas, public support, and citizens' votes – never intimidation, hatred, or the violent portrayal of one's opponent”, she said, while also taking the opportunity to take a swipe at the opposition.

“I expect the same firmness when prominent institutional representatives of the Left choose to fuel a climate of confrontation”, the premier added, apparently referring to the recent events in Bologna. Meloni has called for mayor Matteo Lepore’s resignation following Monday’s unrest.

EU cancels subsidy to Venice Biennale over Russia presence

The European Union said on Tuesday that it had definitively cancelled a two million euro ($2.3 million) grant to the Venice Biennale over Russia's presence at the world's biggest contemporary art show, AFP reported.

"Cultural events, funded by European taxpayers’ money, should safeguard democratic values, foster open dialogue, diversity and freedom of expression -- values which are not respected in today’s Russia," said European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier.

The Biennale opened in May with Russia taking part for the first time since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It had previously been banned in protest at the war.

Two top members of the European Commission had warned the event’s organisers in May that Brussels could cut its funding over the decision to include Russia, saying they “strongly” condemned the move.

Italy seizes cocaine worth 250m euros in banana shipment

Italian police on Tuesday said they had seized pure cocaine with an estimated street value of 250 million euros at a port in northwest Italy, AFP reported.

Some 770 kilograms (1,700 pounds) of cocaine was concealed in a refrigerated container from Ecuador among dozens of pallets of bananas found at the port of Vado Ligure, police said in a statement.

Following a previous drug seizure at the same port, authorities have increased monitoring of Vado Ligure as a potential transit point for international trafficking.

Police earlier this month seized 340 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of 120 million euros in the same port.