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Roberto Fiore (born 15 April 1959) is an Italian far-right politician and convicted criminal who has been the leader of the party, Forza Nuova, since its foundation in 1997, as well as president of the Alliance for Peace and Freedom since 2015. He briefly served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Central Italy from 2008 until 2009.
Roberto Fiore | |
|---|---|
 Fiore in 2018 | |
| Leader of Forza Nuova | |
| Assumed office 29 September 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Office created |
| President of the Alliance for Peace and Freedom | |
| Assumed office 4 February 2015 | |
| Deputy | Nick Griffin |
| Preceded by | Alliance established |
| Member of the European Parliament for Central Italy | |
| In office 16 May 2008 – 13 July 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Alessandra Mussolini |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 April 1959 Rome, Italy |
| Political party | Forza Nuova |
| Other political affiliations | Alliance for Peace and Freedom (since 2015) |
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Children | 11 |
| Profession | Politician |
Fiore was convicted in Italy for subversion and armed gang activity and for his links to the right-wing terrorist organization "Terza posizione" (Third position).[1] He self-identifies as a neo-fascist.[2]
In the United Kingdom
editAfter the police found a large quantity of explosives and weapons in a local office of the political organization Terza Posizione in the 1980s, Roberto Fiore migrated to the United Kingdom in order to avoid arrest.[3][4]
During his London period, he was close to the leader of the British National Party Nick Griffin and to the terrorist and singer-songwriter Massimo Morsello.[5]
In 1985 he was convicted in absentia of armed gang and subversive association, but the British government prohibited his extradition.[5]
The anti-fascist magazine Searchlight claimed that Fiore was working for the Secret Intelligence Service.[6] The allegation that he worked for MI6 was also made in para 2.12.11 of the Report drawn up on behalf of the European Parliament's Committee of Inquiry into Racism and Xenophobia, 1991 (The Ford Report).[7]
Political activism
editFiore is generally considered to be a neofascist leader.[8][9] In England Fiore became a close friend of Nick Griffin, sharing a flat with him. As of 2008, Fiore was running a language school called CL English Language.[10]
Fiore has since returned to Italy, after his conviction became non-punishable for the statute of limitations, and is active in politics as the leader of the nationalist Forza Nuova party (a group he co-founded with Morsello), one of the constituent parts of Alternativa Sociale, allied in the House of Freedoms for the 2006 political elections in Italy. The party Forza Nuova has been defined as "nazi-fascist formation" by two verdicts of Court of Cassation.[11]
In 2008 he joined as a speaker on the identitarian Nordic Festival (Nordiska Festivalen) in Sweden where he spoke about European identity. He participated in Budapest on 23 October 2008 to the commemorations of the Hungarian Insurrection against control by the Soviet Union in 1956, at the invitation of the Hungarian far-right movement HVIM. He also took up the seat in the European Parliament vacated by Alessandra Mussolini. In 2009 he gave a speech at the British National Party's annual Red White & Blue Festival.[12]
In March 2011 he led demonstrations of Forza Nuova against the recent surge of immigrants to the island of Lampedusa, stating that: "Local people are now asking us to help secure the beaches, and if the Government continues to fail in its duty to protect the people, and also the territorial integrity of Italy and Europe, we will take up that challenge".[13]
In February 2020 Fiore lost his court case for defamation against the newspaper L'Espresso.[14]
On 10 October 2021 he was arrested after assaulting the CGIL offices in Rome.[15]
His has an estimated net worth of 30 million euros.[5]
References
edit- ^ Biondani, Paolo; Tizian, Giovanni; Vergine, Stefano (20 December 2017). "I segreti di Roberto Fiore, il fascista a capo di Forza Nuova (The secrets of Roberto Fiore, the fascist leader of Forza Nuova)". espresso.repubblica.it (in Italian). L'Espresso. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ Pallister, David (August 6, 1999). "Neo-fascist clear to resume charity role". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
Mr Fiore told the Guardian he was "pleased the Charity Commission has found there has been nothing illegal". He said he was quite happy to be described as a fascist but he denied that Saint George promoted anti-semitic literature.
- ^ Alessandro Trocino. Fiore e il «contagio fascista»: un passato che non passa nonostante il doppio petto. Corriere della Sera, 21 marzo 2008. URL read the 11.2.2008.
- ^ Francesco Merlo. L'università chiuda le porte agli ultrà della destra. la Repubblica, 5 giugno 2008. url read the 4.14.2008
- ^ a b c "La vita straordinaria di Roberto Fiore, il fondatore di Forza Nuova | Rolling Stone Italia" (in Italian). 2021-10-12.
- ^ "Writer's name 'leaked' to NF". The Guardian. 1990-01-31.
- ^ Union, Publications Office of the European (1991-12-02). "Report drawn up on behalf of the Committee of Inquiry into Racism and Xenophobia on the findings of the Committee of Inquiry". publications.europa.eu. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
- ^ Tamir Bar-On (12 April 2013). Rethinking the French New Right: Alternatives to Modernity. Routledge. pp. 13–. ISBN 978-1-135-96633-1. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ^ Stephen E. Atkins (2009). Holocaust Denial as an International Movement. ABC-CLIO. pp. 125–. ISBN 978-0-313-34538-8. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ^ Cobain, Ian (February 29, 2008). "Language school run by Italian fascist leader". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
- ^ BERIZZI, PAOLO (January 6, 2017). "Forza Nuova, polemiche sul manifesto per il corteo in centro: "Apologia del fascismo, Sala vieti il raduno"". Rome: Repubblica. Retrieved 2017-09-12.
- ^ "Italian Roberto Fiore of the 'Forza Nuova". BNP TV. August 29, 2009.
- ^ Matthys, Jennifer (August 29, 2009). "Italian Nationalists Stand against African Immigrant Invasion". www.bnp.org.uk.
- ^ Redazione (20 February 2020). "Il neofascista Roberto Fiore sconfitto da L'Espresso. Il Gip: «I fatti raccontati sono veri» (The neofascist Roberto Fiore beaten by L'Espresso. Judge: "The stated facts are true")". espresso.repubblica.it (in Italian). L'Espresso. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "Forza Nuova, polemiche sul manifesto per il corteo in centro: "Assalto alla Cgil, arrestati i leader di Forza Nuova Castellino e Fiore. "". Rome: il Fatto Quotidiano. October 10, 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-10.