Overview

• The statue at Piazza dei Cinquecento near Rome’s Termini station was found on October 4 with the phrase “fasciste de m*rde” and a hammer-and-sickle symbol.
• Carabinieri documented the graffiti, and the Italian Army confirmed the damage and initiated cleanup and restoration procedures.
• Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini issued sharp denunciations of the defacement.
• The incident was reported in the context of pro-Gaza demonstrations in the city.
• A day earlier, a photo circulated showing the same statue draped with a Palestinian keffiyeh, drawing widespread attention on social media.