In the name of order and law, the far-right government Giorgia Meloni made its debut this week with a controversial decree against electronic parties that includes prison terms of up to 6 years for organizers and participants.

In particular, the decree adds to article 5 of the penal code a new type of crime, recalling “the invasion of land or buildings to meetings of over 50 people dangerous to public order or public safety or public health “.

In addition to imposing penalties ranging from 3 to 6 years of imprisonment, the decree also imposes measures such as the confiscation of musical equipment, trucks and vans and a fine of between 1,000 and 10,000 euros.

Rejection and fears of the opposition

The text, approved during the first Council of Ministers, arouses grave concern in the opposition, which fears it it extends to all kinds of manifestationsincluding the occupation of schools and universities as a protest.

“This is a very serious mistake. Raves or electronic parties they have nothing to do with that text. The freedom of citizens is called into question “, the leader of the Democratic Party, Enrico Letta, complained on Twitter.

The provision, recalled on the internet the party is overwas criticized for the harshness of the sentences and because of fact authorize wiretappingwhich in principle is used for very serious crimes, such as the mafia or tax fraud.

For his part, the president of the 5 Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte, accused that this rule is a “police state”.

Organizations such as Amnesty International Italia also intervened on the measure, believing that this law “risks having a wide, discretionary and arbitrary application to the detriment of the right to peaceful demonstration, which must be protected and not criticized.

“Young people condemned to the gallows”, the writer Erri de Luca reacted, defending the free and free musical events lasting several days and which are generally party without permission in an abandoned building or outdoorscalled rave.

The measure against these revelries was adopted after the peaceful eviction of 3,000 young people, after 48 hours of dancing between alcohol and drugs, in an abandoned warehouse in the city of Modena.

On Monday morning the Ministry of the Interior gave the order to the carabinieri to vacate the post and finally the the organizers have decided to end the party and leave the ship occupied.

The measures, proposed by the new interior minister, Matteo Piantedosi, known for his extreme right-wing positions, were defended by the government.

“They offer new and more effective tools thanks to which it will be possible to intervene promptly to stop a phenomenon that is particularly burdensome for the State, and therefore for the community, since it requires the commitment of important resources and of many law enforcement officers“explained the minister.

“There is no going back”, the leader of the government League and Minister of Infrastructure, Matteo Salvini, wrote on social media, defending that “the laws are respected“.

Source: AFP and EFE