K Pride : Low Hanging Pants

There are many bare-chested guys with low hanging pants at the K Pride manifestation, totally demostrating their free, easy and  unconstrained attitude.

Location : Piazza Castello

K Pride La Frocessione

Not quite sure what was it about, the K Pride.

Looked through the site : https://gancio.cisti.org/event/1486, it explained:

'WHY FREE-K PRIDE?  

We claim the carnival, the bad taste, the provocation, the inconvenience. After more than a year of pandemic we can say that no, we have not come out better: on the contrary we are witnessing a resurgence of sexist and homolesbobitransphobic violence that punishes those who try to self-determine by breaking free from the cis-hetero-patriarchal regime. If you think this is a rhetorical and ideological discourse, Free-k Pride comes out of its fangs for you too and shouts in the street that we don't want to get used to living in a country where a woman is killed every three days, often by a man who has House keys. That we don't want to get used to living in a city where a 'rainbow bag' is an excuse to be brutally beaten on the street; where a teenager throws himself under a train and even after death he is sent threatening messages referring to his sexuality.'

I was passing by the piazza unintentionally, unawared that there was a manifestation going on. 

It was the next day after I had my 2nd dose of vaccine and I was not feeling so well, actually I was feeling a bit cold in the house, so I decieded to go for a walk under the hot sun to warm up a bit.

Then, I saw the policemen along the street, and then I saw all these colorful people in the piazza. So, I started snapping photo and ended up joining the parade.

It was colorful, wonderful and full of fun.

Location : Piazza Castello/Via Pietro Micca 

Supporting The DDL Zan

Last Saturday, a demostration to support the DDL Zan was held in piazza Castello.

In Italy, a disegno di legge (DDL) is the initial phase of a law that is proposed by one or more members of parliament. The bill contains a set of articles that need to be discussed, one at a time, by the different branches of the parliament and go through various approval steps before becoming an effective law (or not!). While passing laws in Italy can sometimes take an easy path, that’s not the case with those regarding LGBTQI+ rights. In May 2016, Italy recognized same-sex unions, a monumental moment that is considered as the first step in the long road to more civil rights and greater freedom. Since then, however, the country has had five governments, elections and even a pandemic, but progress has mostly stayed at a standstill.

 Alessandro Zan (a member of the Partito Democratico, Italy’s major left-wing political party) introduced the DDL extending the Legge Marino (a law passed in 1993), which denounces language and deeds that amount to religious, political and racial discrimination by adding aggravating factors for sexual orientation, gender and gender identity. If approved, those who discriminate against a member of the LGBTQI+ community (along with other categories included in the Marino law) would be punished by up to four years imprisonment or community service. The DDL Zan is an inclusive proposal aimed at protecting all Italian citizens. 

 

 

The DDL Zan was voted on in the Italian parliament in November 2020, where it gained 265 votes in favor and 193 against. In order to be approved, the text needs further passage in the Senate. But this is where the obstructive behavior of center-right parties comes into play. Political parties Fratelli d’Italia and Lega, heavily supported by the Catholic branches, broadly assert that a law is not really necessary to prevent discriminatory acts based on sexual and gender identity, affirming that the Marino Law—a law passed in 1993, I’d like to underline this again—already offers enough protection. (Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.) They also state that the DDL penalizes freedom of speech and is offensive due to its introduction of the concept of ‘gender identity’, with the (alleged) aim of canceling male-female gender differences and causing biased propaganda in schools in favor of surrogacy and sexual confusion. This is simply not true. People will always be able to express their opinions, however questionable, but they will be punished if they commit discriminatory actions or behavior. 

Anyone interested to know more about DDL Zan and the situation now can refer to the https://www.theflorentine.net/2021/06/07/ddl-zan-italy-why-it-is-necessary/  where I have quoted the article from.

Location : Piazza Castello

Students Protest

Group of students were protesting in front of the government office at piazza Castello regarding their grim future, requesting the government to change the education welfare and take more seriously the nned of the schools and the students.

 

The protest went off rather peacefully, just a few paintballs being thrown against the policemen and tainted their shields.

Policemen blocking the traffic at the junction to via Po.

Svegliati Italia

Pro civil unions rally in many piazza in different cities of Italy and other European countries to raise their support for equality for same sex unions rights in Italy. 

The government has finally moved a step towards legalizing same sex unions, but as usual meets with various resistance from the conservative parties and the church. 

One of the main concern is to allow same sex couples to adopt children of their partners and facing also the usual children should have a mother and a father not two mothers or two fathers aged argument.

By the  turn out of the event, one should be able to understand majority of Italians are ready to accept same sex unions with the same equal rights as heterosexual couples, the problem lies with the hand full of homophobia individuals and the cowardness of the politicians bowing under the pressure of the church.

Here in Torino, the rally was held in piazza Carignano and reported to have at least 7 thousand people attended. The mayor, Piero Fassino was present too to support the cause.

At the other spot at piazza Langrange, a hand full of selfish individuals were holding their own protest to prevent others to have the rights that they are enjoying without having to fight for. Fortunately, their protest was almost completely ignored, even by the politicians.

Lets see if the government will deliver what they promised or they will find some other excuses to further delay the issue.

Je Suis Charlie - Torino

"Je suis Charlie" (both "I am Charlie" and "I follow Charlie") is a statement used by supporters of free speech against the 7 January 2015 massacre in which 12 people were killed at the offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris. The statement identifies the speaker with those who were killed at the Charlie Hebdo shooting, and by extension for freedom of speech and resistance to armed threats. Some journalists embraced the expression as a rallying cry for the freedom of self-expression.

( Quote from :  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Je_suis_Charlie )

Thousands of people demonstrated, with torches and candles, in Piazza Castello in Turin in defense of press freedom after the armed attack on the weekly Charlie Hebdo. Many have raised the signs 'Je suis Charlie', but also cartoon designs. The event was attended by the mayor of Turin Piero Fassino and the regional president, Sergio Chiamparino with the banner of the City.

Another Day Another Protest

Just another day of protest along via Pietro Micca......

The police bike leading in front stopped to check on the march.

No Tav Protest

The No Tav protest marched along via Pietro Micca towards piazza Castello last Saturday....

No Tav activists demonstrate in Turin over their dissent to the charges against four protesters, Chiara, Claudio, Mattia and Niccolò, accused of sabotage and terrorist attacks, for damage to a compressor owned by TAV Construction Chiomonte.

Yo Decido

In Turin, a group of women gathered at Piazza Castello, where the headquarters of the local Spanish consulate is located.  

Leaflets were issued and speeches were given to explain what is happening in Spain in recent weeks , stressing the need to mobilize in Italy to defend the right to abortion. In front of the entrance to the Spanish consulate was left an inscription that read, " I decide ! For a free and safe abortion ."

Students Demonstration

Students demonstration along via Pietro Micca, just under my apartment. Students should just have to worry about their study and some silly teenager's things, when there are so many and so often demonstrations by them, there is definitely something wrong with the educational system and the government.....

Student Demonstration on Friday

Yesterday, Friday, heard noises and music out from the window, looked out from the balcony, and there it was, the student demonstration was passing by right under my block.
The previous demonstration ended with a physical conflict between the students and the police forces, created quite a commotion. So, out of curiosity, I went down and followed the demonstration to snap some photos.

Stopped in front of the Academy of Fine Art.

The police forces followed behind getting ready just in case...

From the balcony.

Again, from the balcony.

Some green smoke...meaning?

Some orange smoke....not sure why? Maybe after all these years of getting  smokes from the politicians, here is the return favour.

Some white smoke, after taping the entrance of the Academy of whatever....

Something I did notice about demonstration in Italy, normally, they are held on Fridays, reason? After one or two hours of marching or standing or sitting, everyone gets a long weekend?

Today, another thing I noticed while walking among the demonstrators, I smelled 'Grass'.
I assume (positively) most of the demonstrators are underage, but i saw them smoking, and I did smell 'Grass', and there were policemen all over the place....Do they have the same sensitive nose like mine?
Or just...whatever.