Venetian Most Serene Government

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The so-called Tanko, used by the secessionist commando Serenissimi to assault the St Mark's Campanile in Venice, on 9 May 1997. It is not a real tank, but a truck disguised as a tank.

The Venetian Most Serene Government (Veneto Serenissimo Governo, VSG), whose members are often referred to as Serenissimi, is a political organization active in Veneto, trying to gain independence and self-government for Venetian lands. It is a bulwark of Venetian nationalism.

In the early 1980s and left Liga Veneta, the mainstream regionalist party in Veneto, because they considered it too moderate. On 25 January 1987 Faccia and Contin launched the VSG. In 1992 the group was joined by , brother of Luigi, and, later, by , who was appointed "ambassador" of the VSG. Since 1996 the group is a perpetrator of raids into the frequencies of RAI, the Italian state-owned public service broadcaster, in Veneto with separatist proclamations in the Venetian language.[1]

During the night between the 8th and 9th of May 1997 the Serenissimi, occupied Piazza San Marco and the St Mark's Campanile in Venice in order to proclaim the "independence of Veneto". After eight hours, the Carabinieri entered the Campanille and arrested the group.[2][3] The members of the group, including the two leaders of the Venetian Most Serene Government, Luigi Faccia and Bepin Segato, who did not take part in the action, were all arrested.[4][5] The effort, which was more symbolic than anything else, was criticized by Umberto Bossi and Roberto Maroni,[6] leaders of Lega Nord, at that time proponents for the independence of Padania, while it was praised by Gianfranco Miglio,[7] a former senator of the League who was then elected as an independent for the center-right Pole of Freedoms.

The Serenissimi soon became sort of "heroes" for many Venetists and the tanko[8][9] is a common exhibit at the yearly Festa dei Veneti[10] and at other rallies of that kind, even outside of Veneto.[11] Segato was a candidate of Liga Veneta Repubblica in the 2001 general election[12] and came short of election to the Italian Senate, having received 9.8% of the vote in the constituency of Schio.[13] Representatives from most political parties in Veneto, including center-left figures, defended the Serenissimi: of the Democrats of the Left even praised the "noble ideals" of the group,[14] while Massimo Cacciari and Green Gianfranco Bettin campaigned for the pardon of those in jail, along with the Liga Veneta and the regional section of Forza Italia.[15] Some of them are not embarrassed in taking part in the rally,[16] the Festa dei Veneti, in which the tanko is displayed. More recently, leading members of the League, including Bossi[17][18] and Roberto Calderoli,[19] praised them and another leghista. Roberto Castelli, Minister of Justice in 2003, proposed a pardon for Faccia, who was still in prison,[20][21] which was unsuccessfull as Faccia himself refused it.[22]

The group is still active nowadays, under the leadership of ,[23] and currently campaigns for a referendum on self-determination of Veneto.

In April 2014 L. Faccia and Contin were arrested, along with several other Venetian separatists (including Franco Rocchetta and LIFE's president ), for suspected crimes including criminal association with terrorism and subversion of the democratic order.[24] In jail, Faccia proclaimed himself as a "war prisoner" and refused to answer questions (as Contin was in house arrest).[25][26] By the end of April, most detained Venetists were released, as the tribunal of Brescia did not uphold the accusations,[27][28] with the notable exceptions of Faccia and Contin, who refused to be released.[29]

References[]

  1. ^ , Dalla Łiga alla Lega. Storia, movimenti, protagonisti, Marsilio, Venice 2009, pp. 54, 105–108
  2. ^ Commando assalta Venezia, torna la paura. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  3. ^ " Abbiamo occupato piazza San Marco ". Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  4. ^ Alvise Fontanella, 1997: Il ritorno della Serenissima, Editoria Universitaria, Venice 1997.
  5. ^ , Dalla Łiga alla Lega. Storia, movimenti, protagonisti, Marsilio, Venice 2009, pp. 54, 108–111
  6. ^ Maroni: altro che opera nostra, qui bisogna riaprire i manicomi. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  7. ^ Miglio: applaudo quei ragazzi, sono miei buoni allievi. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  8. ^ I Serenissimi ricomprano il Tanko – Galleria. Repubblica.it (5 July 2006). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  9. ^ Raixe Venete, el jornale dei Veneti – RaixeVenete.net, el sito Veneto – in lingua veneta (dialetto veneto) Archived 1 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Raixevenete.net. Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  10. ^ "Festa dei Veneti" con il Tanko dell' assalto al campanile. Patrocinio della Regione, è scontro. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  11. ^ Esposto il "tanko" dei Serenissimi. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  12. ^ Segato al Senato, prova di evasione elettorale. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  13. ^ E l' ideologo dei Serenissimi resta in carcere per un pugno di voti. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  14. ^ "Pronti a correre con la Liga. I Serenissimi? Nobili ideali". Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  15. ^ I Serenissimi Che Occuparono San Marco. Lamescolanza.com (28 October 2008). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  16. ^ Festa dei veneti, Zaia dà forfait all’ultima ora. Tante magliette colorate: "Veneto is not Italy" Archived 1 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Iveneti.org. Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  17. ^ "Libertà per il capo dei Serenissimi". Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  18. ^ Bossi un anno dopo: padani, sono tornato. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  19. ^ "A Vicenza si decide sulla secessione". Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  20. ^ Castelli: mi do da fare per la grazia al "serenissimo". Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  21. ^ Serenissimi, Castelli esaminerà la domanda di grazia per Faccia. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  22. ^ Il Serenissimo dell' assalto a Venezia: "Non ci provino con me, io rifiuterei". Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
  23. ^ [1]
  24. ^ http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2014/2-aprile-2014/blitz-contro-indipendentisti-24-arresti-2236075968.shtml
  25. ^ http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2014/4-aprile-2014/chiavegato-inizia-sciopero-fame-22319768550.shtml
  26. ^ http://www.ilgazzettino.it/NORDEST/PRIMOPIANO/flavio_contin_ricardo_lovato_non_rispondere_giudice_gip_faccia_chiavegato/notizie/614647.shtml
  27. ^ http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2014/18-aprile-2014/riesame-scarcera-rocchetta-chiavegato-22392040249.shtml
  28. ^ http://nuovavenezia.gelocal.it/2014/04/24/news/l-accusa-non-regge-secessionisti-a-casa-liberi-o-ai-domiciliari-1.9102292
  29. ^ http://www.bresciaoggi.it/stories/Cronaca/711022_secessionisti_lascia_il_carcere_anche_lultimo_bresciano/

Sources[]

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