Modena – It is a river of hatred that does not stop, that overwhelms and frightens. It is what flows online and beyond, striking new victims every time. In recent days, the organizers and participants of the Modena Pride, scheduled for June 20, have found themselves in the crosshairs of haters. Some have gone beyond homophobic comments, even inciting a massacre. “Give a Muslim permission to pass through these depraved perverts,” reads one of the comments. Obviously, the reference is to the terrible attack on May 16 in the center of Modena, which saw Salim El Koudri run over innocent passers-by at full speed in the city center. “That guy with the car chose the wrong day”; “When you need an Islamic in a car, you can’t find one, these are people to eliminate,” some of the chilling posts read.
Hundreds, thousands of comments containing clear threats appeared one after another on the social channels of Modena Pride, so much so that the event organizers are considering filing a complaint. “Despite institutional stances, hate comments continue. It’s difficult to read them, and we are trying not to, precisely so as not to be overwhelmed – state Angelica Polmonari and Elisa Fraulini, respectively president and vice president of Arcigay Modena –. However, we appreciate the great solidarity received from many quarters. The targeted attack concretely demonstrates how online hatred never remains confined online, but translates daily into exclusion, fear, violence, and isolation for the LGBTQIA+ community.” The mayor of Modena, Massimo Mezzetti, and the councilor for security, Alessandra Camporota, emphasized how the administration strongly supports Pride as a moment, an opportunity to reiterate the need to maintain high attention to discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The Cgil of Modena also expressed full solidarity with Arcigay Modena.
In recent days, numerous attacks and death threats had also been directed at the legal defender of the attacker Salim El Koudri, lawyer Fausto Gianelli, who, fearing for his safety, filed a complaint. But there are other victims of hate attacks in these hours: among them, the grillina deputy Stefania Ascari who, after taking part in a demonstration last June 2, in the square in Modena, ended up in the crosshairs of haters: “The Movement sold out to Hamas”, “Put a handkerchief in your mouth”, are some of the over nine thousand hate messages that appeared on her Facebook profile. And other sexist insults with body shaming against her and, in general, the ‘pro-Pal feminists’.
From the web ‘to the park’: in recent days, writings, later erased, against Israel had appeared in the amphitheater of Bonvi Parken, which had just been redeveloped. Yesterday morning, however, others appeared, and this time against the Prime Minister. ‘Meloni Morta’ (Meloni Dead) reads on the ‘steps’ defaced with red and black paint. Mayor Massimo Mezzetti again condemned the act: “I have already said and I repeat, I see too much hatred and verbal violence around, this climate must never be underestimated.” Full solidarity with Meloni for the serious writings was also expressed by Senator Michele Barcaiuolo, regional coordinator of FdI in Emilia-Romagna.
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