Sardines movement

The Sardines movement (Italian: movimento delle sardine), also known as Sardines against Salvini (sardine contro Salvini),[5] was a grassroots political movement, which began in Italy in November 2019.[1][2][6]

Not to be confused with Sardine run.

Sardines movement
First Sardines' demonstration in Piazza Maggiore, Bologna
Date14 November 2019 – 26 May 2020
(6 months and 12 days)
Location
 Italy
Caused by
Methods

The movement organized an ongoing series of peaceful demonstrations to protest against the right-wing surge in the country and, more specifically, against the political rhetoric of right-wing leader Matteo Salvini.[7] The name "Sardines" came from the idea of organizing their rallies with high numbers of participants, packed together like sardines in a shoal.[1][8]

While the movement de facto ended after the centre-left victory in the January 2020 election in Emilia-Romagna, it formally ended in May.[9]

History

Birth in Emilia-Romagna

The Sardines movement started as a flash mob on 14 November 2019, organized in Piazza Maggiore, the main square of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna. The aim of the event was to contrast the launch of Matteo Salvini's electoral campaign for the 2020 regional election at the PalaDozza in Bologna.[10][11] The slogan of the event was "Bologna non si Lega", which literally translates to "Bologna does not tie itself up", but it also plays with the name of Salvini's party, Lega.[12] The flash mob, which was named "6,000 Sardines against Salvini" ("6000 sardine contro Salvini"),[lower-alpha 1] was joined by almost 15,000 people, surprising the whole country and receiving a large media coverage.[13][14]

The movement rose up during the electoral campaign for the 2020 Emilia-Romagna regional election, which has been considered as the first competitive one in the history of the region.[15] Emilia-Romagna has been a stronghold of left-wing parties since the end of the World War II, but in the 2018 general election the centre-right coalition became the largest political force in the region. The Sardines movement started its activity with the aim of preventing a right-wing victory in the January 2020 election.[16]

The first Sardines' rally was warmly welcomed by the Democratic Party (PD), especially by its secretary Nicola Zingaretti, its president and former Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and Emilia-Romagna incumbent governor Stefano Bonaccini.[17][18][19] Former Prime Minister and PD's founding father, Romano Prodi, stated that the Sardines are "formidable", adding that they must not be neither "colonized" nor "exploited" by any party.[20]

On 18 November, a second Sardines' rally gathered Piazza Grande in Modena, with more than 7,000 people taking part in the event.[2]

Spreading through the country
Sardine's rally in Modena

In December, the movement spread outside Emilia-Romagna. On 1 December, more than 25,000 people participated in a rally in Piazza Duomo in Milan,[21] while on the previous day, almost 30,000 gathered Piazza della Repubblica in Florence.[22] On 10 December, 40,000 people demonstrated in Turin in Piazza Castello.[23] Other protests have been staged in Naples[24] and Palermo.[25]

On 14 December, one month after their first rally, Sardines organized a demonstration in Rome at Piazza San Giovanni.[26] According to the organizers almost 100,000 people joined the rally.[27][28] During Rome's demonstration, Sardines' de facto leader, Mattia Santori, presented the movement's proposals to politics, which included, among others, political transparency, condemnation of hate speech, laws against verbal violence and a new immigration policies.[29] Santori especially asked to Giuseppe Conte's government to abolish the so-called "Salvini Decree",[30] a law approved by the previous government, which contained a series of hardline measures that abolished key forms of protection for migrants and made it easier for them to be deported. The decree also suspended the refugee application process of those who were considered "socially dangerous" or who had been convicted of a crime.[31]

On the same day, smaller demonstrations also took place in Brussels, Paris and Berlin.[32][33]

On 19 January, the movement returned in Bologna, with more than 40,000 people attending a rally in Piazza VIII Agosto.[34] It was the last demonstration before the January 26 regional election and was named "Welcome back to open sea". The rally was characterized by a 6-hour long concert with singers and artists like Afterhours, Subsonica, Marracash, Matilda De Angelis, Skiantos, Casa del vento, Bandabardò, Modena City Ramblers, Marlene Kuntz and Pif.[35]

On 26 January, at the Emilia-Romagna regional election, the PD's candidate Stefano Bonaccini – endorsed by the sardines movement – won with 51.4% of the votes, with a 7.7% margin above the League's candidate Lucia Borgonzoni.[36] Some attributed part of Bonaccini's success to the movement's support and activity.[37][38]

Ideology

The movement declares itself not linked to any party and to mainly pursue the ideals of anti-fascism and the fight against racial discrimination,[39] as well as the rejection of right-wing populism and verbal violence in Italian politics, which they claim should be legally considered as physical violence.[29] The Sardines movement has been generally considered on the left-wing of the political spectrum[40] and has been compared to Girotondi and Purple People, two grassroots movements which rose up in the 2000s to protest against then Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.[41][42]

According to some political commentators, the movement would be limited only to a generic critique of the right-wing, with its open opposition to Matteo Salvini, who is depicted as an authoritarian and undemocratic leader. Moreover critics accused the Sardines of supporting the ruling centre-left government of Giuseppe Conte.[43]

Notes
  1. The number in the motto "6,000 Sardines against Salvini" ("6000 sardine contro Salvini") stemmed from the aim to exceed the sitting capacity 5,570 of the PalaDozza in Bologna, where Salvini's rally took place.

References
  1. Balmer, Crispian (26 November 2019). "A can-do challenge? Italian 'sardines' take on Salvini". Reuters. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  2. Tondo, Lorenzo (14 December 2019). "'Sardines' against Salvini: Italy's fight against the far right". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  3. "I sei punti delle Sardine per una politica seria e senza odio". Globalist (in Italian).
  4. "Sardine a Bruxelles: 'Siamo in piazza contro i sovranismi'". Repubblica Tv - la Repubblica.it (in Italian). 14 December 2019.
  5. "'Sardines against Salvini': Italians pack squares in protest against far right". The Guardian.
  6. "Le parole della neopolitica - Sardine". Treccani, l'Enciclopedia italiana (in Italian).
  7. Horowitz, Jason (14 December 2019). "Italy's New 'Sardines' Movement Packs Piazzas to Protest Far-Right Leader". The New York Times.
  8. Giuffrida, Angela (19 November 2019). "'Sardines against Salvini': Italians pack squares in protest against far right". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  9. Sardine verso l'addio, Santori "Ci prendiamo una pausa di riflessione, Corriere Della Sera
  10. "Emilia Romagna, Salvini lancia la campagna elettorale: "Prima liberiamo Bologna e poi Firenze"" (in Italian). 14 November 2019.
  11. "Italy's 'Sardines' to bring protest movement against far right to Rome". France 24. 14 December 2019.
  12. "'Sardines' say party over for populists". ANSA.it. 21 November 2019.
  13. "Tens of thousands turn out for anti-Salvini 'sardine' protest". euronews. 1 December 2019.
  14. Balmer, Crispian (19 November 2019). "Italy's anti-Salvini 'sardines' movement spreads, plans more protests". Reuters. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  15. Giacomin, Paolo (3 November 2019). "L'Emilia contendibile. Ma i grillini saranno l'ago della bilancia". QuotidianoNet (in Italian).
  16. Agnessi, Enrico (11 December 2019). "Sardine in piazza a Imola. Mattia Santori: "Andate a votare il 26 gennaio"". il Resto del Carlino (in Italian).
  17. "Zingaretti lavora ad alleanze larghe e blinda il governo". Agi (in Italian).
  18. "Gentiloni, offerta Sardine è impopulista - Ultima Ora". Agenzia ANSA (in Italian). 23 November 2019.
  19. "Bonaccini lancia l'amo alle Sardine e stuzzica i leghisti: c'è il voto disgiunto". lastampa.it (in Italian). 8 December 2019.
  20. "Sardine, Prodi: "Formidabili, non devono essere colonizzate da nessuno"". Il Fatto Quotidiano (in Italian). 6 December 2019.
  21. "Le Sardine nuotano e si prendono piazza Duomo: 25 mila sotto la pioggia per dire "Milano non si lega"". Repubblica.it (in Italian). 1 December 2019.
  22. "Firenze, manifestazione delle "sardine": "Siamo quarantamila"". Repubblica.it (in Italian). 30 November 2019.
  23. Giuffrida, Angela (13 December 2019). "Sardines squeeze into Italian cities for biggest anti-Salvini protests yet". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  24. Di Costanzo, Antonio; Fuccillo, Roberto (30 November 2019). "Sardine, oltre 10 mila in piazza a Napoli: tra colori e maschere della Casa di Carta". Repubblica.it (in Italian). Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  25. Filippone, Tullio (22 November 2019). "Le sardine invadono Palermo: cori e striscioni contro l'intolleranza". Repubblica.it (in Italian). Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  26. "Le foto delle "sardine" a Roma". Il Post (in Italian). 14 December 2019.
  27. "'Sardines' stage biggest anti-Salvini rally yet in Rome | DW | 14.12.2019". DW. 14 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  28. "Le sardine conquistano piazza San Giovanni. Santori: "Siamo 100mila, obiettivo raggiunto"". Repubblica.it (in Italian). 14 December 2019.
  29. "Sardine, le sei richieste del movimento alla politica. Meno violenza verbale, meno ministri in tv e via i decreti Salvini". Repubblica.it (in Italian). 15 December 2019.
  30. "Sardine, dall'abrogazione dei decreti Sicurezza alla trasparenza dei politici sull'uso dei social network: le sei proposte lette dal palco di Roma". Il Fatto Quotidiano (in Italian). 15 December 2019.
  31. Giuffrida, Angela (24 September 2018). "Italian government approves Salvini bill targeting migrants". The Guardian.
  32. "Sardine in piazza anche a Bruxelles, Parigi e Berlino". rainews.
  33. "Sardine: in centinaia in piazza anche a Bruxelles - Europa". ANSA.it. 16 December 2019.
  34. Miner, Louise (19 January 2020). "'Sardines' movement in Bologna, Italy hopes to block far-right". euronews. AFP. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  35. Bentornati in mare aperto
  36. Giuffrida, Angela (27 January 2020). "Salvini suffers setback in leftwing stronghold during Italy regional elections". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  37. "The Guardian view on Italy's red wall region: saved by the 'sardines' | Editorial". The Guardian. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  38. Guerzoni, Monica (27 January 2020). "E le Sardine (trionfanti) cambiano: «Non ci vedrete più su tv e giornali»". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  39. "Rep". rep.repubblica.it (in Italian).
  40. "Sardine: "Non faremo un partito, appoggio alle liste di sinistra"". Repubblica.it (in Italian). 16 December 2019.
  41. "Dai Girotondi alle Sardine: l'abbraccio tra le generazioni della sinistra". Video: ultime notizie - Corriere TV (in Italian).
  42. "Care Sardine, non fate come noi Girotondi". L'HuffPost (in Italian). 9 December 2019.
  43. Chi sono le "sardine": storia di un movimento e del suo nome
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