In the general silence yesterday so many entertainment workers everywhere demonstrated

A mobilization passed in silence, in the general silence of the press that gave very little coverage to the news, but yesterday the demonstrations of entertainment workers resulted in protests with many people in many squares throughout Italy. Performing arts, theater and cinema workers gathered in several cities yesterday to protest the anti-Covid measures that have caused great damage to the industry, which was shut down in October despite the safety of performing arts venues and despite the immense efforts managers have made to adapt venues to regulations.

In Rome, a large demonstration was held in front of the Opera House to demand that the government be allowed to work again. “The culture sector,” recalled Uil Secretary General Pierpaolo Bombardieri, who spoke at the demonstration, “produces 6 percent of GDP and must be considered a strategic asset by the government. Relaunching the entertainment sector means not only restoring security, income and professionalism to all workers in the sector, but also giving space for the country’s cultural growth.” Part of the procession then gathered to protest in Montecitorio Square, where a stage was set up to give workers a voice.

Also in the square in Genoa were musicians from the Teatro Carlo Felice orchestra, among others, who are members of the Fistel Cisl and Uilcom Uil unions, who performed Mameli’s anthem and were then received in the prefecture to demand the reopening of theaters and concert halls. “This,” said Franco Ippolito, secretary general of Fistel Cisl Liguria, “is one world: cinema, theater and everything that revolves around the world of entertainment is here. The message that must get through is that this sector can and must restart immediately. As Spain has done, for example. All the economic and legislative interventions that until now politics has procrastinated should be put in place, Recovery Fund money should be put in place as early as today. Because otherwise it is impossible for this sector to restart, for culture like tourism to boost the economy of an entire country.” “We have been at a standstill for a year now, the sector’s activities are at a standstill and the situation is unsustainable,” added Guido Parodi, regional secretary of Uilcom Uil Liguria.

In Milan, a group composed of students and entertainment workers symbolically occupied the spaces of the former Arti cinema in protest throughout the day. “After the occupations of schools in January,” reads a statement released by the young people, “the world of school joins the world of entertainment to demand not only a safe reopening of places of education and culture, but for a radical reform of both sectors. We want up to 5 percent of GDP to be invested in education; we want the right to study to be truly protected; we want a national school building plan to be activated; we want education, including university and academia, to be made truly free and accessible to all; we want teacher precariousness and chicken coop classes to be eliminated by increasing spaces and reducing students per classroom.”

In Florence, workers organized a garrison in Via Cavour, under the prefecture building, where there was also a live performance by Emanuele Urso, first horn of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, and singer-songwriter Chiara Rondino. Affirmed the unions Slc CGIL, Fistel Cisl and Uilcom Uil: “At the same time as the action of support and strengthening of protections, we believe it is a need that can no longer be postponed to organize the arrangements for the reopening of the halls. The pandemic has dramatically exposed the limitations of the system that orders the supply and enjoyment of live entertainment. An organic reform of the sector can no longer be postponed, also seizing the opportunity offered by the Next generation, which provides, in addition to adequate social shock absorbers, the right recognition for skills and a rethinking of the social security system, a strengthening of structural investments on professionalism, training, places and modalities of cultural offerings that, without being distorted, seizes the appropriate opportunities of new technologies.”

In Naples, entertainment activists occupied Via Cristoforo Colombo in front of the Molo Beverello, near the Teatro Mercadante (the blockade was later lifted without incident after police intervention). In Turin, performances in the square, in front of the Piedmont Region headquarters, in compliance with anti-Covid regulations. And again, demonstrations in Verona, Perugia, Rimini, Reggio Calabria, Cosenza and several other cities.

In the photo: a moment of the protest in Rome in Montecitorio Square.

In the general silence yesterday so many entertainment workers everywhere demonstrated

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