Lazio regional communications chief Marcello De Angelis was embroiled in a fresh row on Wednesday over one of his band’s songs, which described Jews as a “race of merchants”.
Earlier this month he caused substantial controversy by claiming those convicted of the 1980 Bologna rail station bombing were innocent.
“The song Black September by his ‘identity rock band’ 270 Bis is clearly anti-semitic,” opposition centre-left Democratic Party (PD) national secretariat coordinator Marta Bonafoni, chair of the House transparency committee, said.
“Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni can’t ignore De Angelis’s antisemitism,” PD MP Andrea Casu also said on X (formerly Twitter).
“She can no longer pretend not to notice, #DeAngelisresign”.
De Angelis is employed by Lazio Governor Francesco Rocca, an independent who is however close to Meloni’s right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party.
Rome City Council Heritage and Housing Policy pointman Tobia Zevi was also scathing in his comments.
“Rocca must sack De Angelis. I, as a Jew, know that this antisemitic lyric stains the institutions.”
Green and Left Alliance chief Angelo Bonelli said: “De Angelis must resign, and Meloni’s silence is guilty”.
The PD said on August 8 that the furore regarding De Angelis’s comments about the 1980 Bologna train-station bombing could easily be closed with his apology.
Read the article in Il Globo (ANSA).