Zabarella Street, 24 - 17 June 1974
Padova's dark past further mixes and shapes Italy's past on the morning of the 17th June 1974. In via Zabarella, in the city centre, 5 armed people belonging to the extremist group called Brigate Rosse entered illegally the centre of the Italian Social Movement in Padova.
The killing of Giuseppe Mazzola and Graziano Giralucci by these 5 individuals, later recognised as part of the head of Brigate Rosse, signed a change in Italian history.
These were the first two homicides out of a series of 84 killings by this terroristic group over the 1970s.
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Therefore, this historical road signs the start of a long line of bloodshed. I myself have walked many times in front of this building, completely unaware of its historical importance and of how it changed the face of this organised movement.
While in the papers people were wondering if it was a political killing or a personal revenge, this event gave more power to this extremist group and started the radicalisation and violence that divided Padova into areas of influence. These homicides shaped the face of the city: manifestations, protests and attacks augmented after this event.
Moreover, the members of this movement started utilising homicide as a political weapon to reach their goals and their political agendas. As reported in an interview people said the following words:
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«Bisognava far sapere che le Br, see necessario, uccidevano»
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Meaning that Brigate Rosse, this strong movement that caused multiple victims over the 70s in Italy, was ready to kill if necessary. This chain of violence that started in 1974 in Padova led to the kidnapping and killing of politician Aldo Moro that has shaken Italy in 1978.
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Realising how much a single spot was central in changing the history of my country and was the centre of so much violence and sorrow is part of the goal of this project. I want to raise awareness and spread information about these events, hoping that they will be remembered and that awareness will prevent similar actions in the future, opening the way to non-violent debates.