Maurizio Gasparri, former communications minister and currently senate leader for the Pdl party, didn’t mince his words – for once.
Referring to the high-profile decision by German Athlete, Imke Duplitzer, to boycott the opening ceremony – though not the games themselves – Gasparri said today:
“The gesturee of the German athlete Imke Duplitzer, who has announced she will not take part at the opening ceremony of the games, to protest against the lack of human rights in China, is a stimulus or all athlets, including the Italians. […] It’s a symbolic gesture, that should invite all to reflect on those fundamental principles, Peace, Liberty and Democracy, that can never be put insecond place. And with this show of dissent, as in past occasions,one can express support and solidarity with the population whose liberty is being suffocated”.
That’s the way to do it. Stay away from the opening, but take part in the games (after all, it’s an important chance to compete, win medals, and find sponsors).
Gasparri’s comments are on the same pragmatic level. If anyone’s going to say anything about the Olympics from Berlusconi’s party, make sure it’s someone who holds a position of debatable relevance. Protest but don’t protest.
Gasparri knows a thing or two about human rights and protest. He was, after all, a member of govenment when the Genova G8 protests happened, and has made it his business to comment on them since.
Witnesses in trials that have led to various convictions detailed how police rounded up protesters and held them without charge, in various structures, where they were subjected to beatings, cruel and inhuman treatment, and the threat of rape – all against a background of fascist songs praising Mussolini and Pinochet.
Gasparri’s insightful and sporting comment on the police behaviour in Genoa? “The protests in Florence (later in 2001) went better than that in Genoa, because the violent protesters that wanted to trash the city, understood that the state doesn’t mess around”
It’s all clear in hindsight. The peaceful protesters who were rounded up and beaten by the state, in conditions which resembled, according to one eyewitness ‘a mexican slaughterhouse’, had it coming to them – as they hadn’t learned the fundamental rule of protest in Gasparri’s Chinese style democracy – the only protest allowed is a meaningless protest.
1) “Il gesto dell’atleta tedesca Imke Duplitzer, che ha annunciato di non prendere parte alla cerimonia inaugurale dei Giochi per protesta contro il mancato rispetto dei diritti umani in Cina, sia da stimolo per tutti gli atleti, compresi quelli italiani», ha dichiarato Gasparri. «Si tratta- aggiunge- di un gesto simbolico, che dovrebbe invitare tutti a riflettere su quei principi fondamentali, Pace, Libertà e Democrazia, che non possono essere messi in secondo piano. Anche con queste manifestazioni di dissenso, come già avvenuto in passato, si può esprimere sostegno e solidarietà alle popolazioni che vedono soffocata la propria libertà.” – Cerimonia inaugurale. strappo di Gasparri – Corriere della Sera, 5/08/2008
2) «La manifestazione di Firenze è andata meglio di quella di Genova perchè i manifestanti violenti che volevano mettere a ferro e fuoco la città, hanno capito che lo Stato non scherza» In conversation on La 7 Omnibus, as reported by Il Messagero.