Every year, there have been representatives from the Jewish Brigade which helped liberate Italy marching in the annual parade.
Last year, the Jews were attacked by Palestinian Arab supporters:
A Liberation Day parade in Rome, meanwhile, was marred by tension between a group of supporters of the Palestinian cause and representatives of Jewish fighters who were part of the Italian Resistance during World War II. Fabio Perugia, the spokesman of Rome's Jewish Community, said the friction was caused by the presence of the flag of the Jewish Brigade of the Resistance, which features the Star of David. "We had a meeting at 9:15 to march with the flag of the Jewish Brigade, which is similar to the Israeli flag, but not the same," said Perugia. "Suddenly around 50 people with Palestinian flags came out of the Colosseo metro station and started to attack us verbally.That same day, a synagogue in Rome was defaced with graffiti saying "Juden Rauss" showing a star of David being hung.
"If the police had not been there, they would have attacked us physically". Perugia said that the police removed the Palestinian flags.
This year, the Jewish group that represents the fighters decided not to take part in the parade after negotiations failed with the other groups that participate failed.
ANED (Associazione Nazionale ex Deportati nei Campi Nazisti - National Association of Former Deportees in Nazi camps) announced that it will not attend this year's events:
We have come to this bitter and difficult decision as a result of what happened in the meeting held at the House of Remembrance on Monday, March 30, 2015, in preparation of the event / parade for the 70th anniversary of the April 25, 1945, Liberation Day. After long hours of discussion conflicting with the organizations present, ANPI, Partisans for Justice and Freedom, CGIL, the Communist Party, the Communist PRC, the Jewish Brigade, Italian Communists, Italian Students Union, Socialist Fatherland, Social Centre Acrobat, Social Center Link, Palestine Front, Roman Palestine Network, Palestine Representation in Italy, many of them ... showed the same unacceptable conditions that, in past years, have resulted in real episodes of intolerance. We who represent the former deportees in Nazi camps, both political and racial, cannot accept that the spirit and meaning of April 25, of the Resistance and Liberation, are so totally distorted and even facts become indictments against the victims of fascism. We can not accept that representatives of the partisan struggle, liberation, are banned exclusively for intolerance. With great sadness in my heart this year, so, we cannot be there .... "The president of the Jewish community, Riccardo Pacifici, was a bit more hawkish in describing why the Jewish community as a whole won't be there:
"Since it will be Shabbat we will not be present, but we will also not be there because even the Palestinians, who apply to be in the parade, during the war were allies of the Nazis," he said. Pacifici insists and says that "last year was a climax of insults and tensions that are repeated every year. April 25 should be a day of celebration, however last year they called me a fascist. "
The Italian community is trying to find a solution to the problem.
(h/t Bob K for photo))