"Anni di piombo" (the years of terrorism)

"TALK, TALK, TALK, NO NEGOTIATIONS"

During the years of terrorism, the Radical Party waged a battle against it based on the full respect of laws and rights, and on dialogue, loyal and unconditional dialogue. At various times, Marco Pannella addressed the terrorists whom he called "Comrade Murderers". "We, non-violent revolutionaries through love. You, violent revolutionaries through hate. Violent and non-violent are brothers, who have been tragically separated. Indifference and inertia are our enemies".

March 1978

RADICAL SECRETARY ON THE JURY AT THE TRIALS OF THE "RED BRIGADES"

Torino: Adelaide Aglietta, Radical Secretary, chosen when lots had been drawn after many citizens had retracted because of terrorist threats, accepted to be a member of the popular jury at the trial against the historic leaders of the "Red Brigades". The trial started and proceeded according to the regulations.

January 1981

JUDGE D'URSO SAVED

Rome: The Judge, Giovanni D'Urso, after a month in the hands of terrorists, was saved by an initiative for information and dialogue promoted by the Radicals. While major newspapers and Italian State television which until then had dedicated whole pages to the action of the Red Brigades decided to impose a blackout, the Radical Party chose to cut the terrorists' pretext for killing their hostage from under their feet. They began to use Radio Radicale for broadcasts on the subject, and to make Radical space available on television, during which the Judge's daughter read a communiqué to the terrorists.

December 1983

For the first time since the years of intolerance and terrorism, in the special jail of Nuoro, a group of political prisoners including Alberto Franceschini, founder of the "Red Brigades" adopted a form of non-violent protest: a hunger strike, to denounce the dehuman conditions of life inside maximumsecurity jails. Marco Pannella, initiating an appeal for the lives of the ex-terrorists, went to visit them.

November 1986

EX-TERRORISTS JOIN THE RADICAL PARTY

Responding to the Radical Party's appeal for life, many prisoners belonging to the "Red Brigades", "Prima linea" and other armed gangs who had been sentenced to life imprisonment or long sentences, joined the party of rights and non-violence.

Because it was impossible for them to leave the prison, they sent their declaration to the Radical Party's Congress, taking place in Rome. "We have come here to swear on democracy (...)We are tremendously sorry to have resorted to armed combat, but if possible, we are even sorrier not to have adopted democracy immediately".

February 1987

APPEAL TO THE RED BRIGADES

Rome: from Rebibbia Jail, the ex-terrorists launched an appeal to the "Brigate rosse" who had assaulted a postal van and killed two policemen to rob a billion lire: "Do not kill. Killing is always a loss. There is no history of salvation, Comrade Murderers, which can take its course, when you cut a life short."

February March 1987

EX-TERRORISTS TAKE PART IN THE RADICAL PARTY CONGRESS

Profiting from a special permit, a group of ex-terrorists took part in the Radical Party's 32nd Congress which was going on in Rome. "We deliver a terrorist organisation to you: naked, hands and feet, heart and soul, finally liberated", affirmed the ex-terrorists of "Prima linea", whose members and leaders almost all of whom joined the Radical Party symbolically delivered themselves up to a non-violent organisation.

March 1987

FOR THE LIFE OF PAULA COOPER

Rome: a group of prisoners in Rebibbia Jail joined the campaign to save the life of Paula Cooper, a fourteen year old black murderer, sentenced to death, in a penitentiary in the United States. Ex-terrorists, who had also committed murder, addressed an appeal to American democracy not to deny themselves, by deciding to kill in turn. "Love democracy, pardon Paula Cooper. For her, for you, and for all of us".

April 1987

SOVIET DISSIDENTS MEET EX-TERRORISTS IN JAIL

A group of ex-terrorists who are today members of the Radical Party, met three Soviet dissidents in the Roman prison of Rebibbia. They were Bukovskij, Maximov and Pliusc. "We consider ourselves today, like you: exiles from terror and totalitarianism, having landed safely in democracy". The Soviet Agency Tass, commented critically on the Italian Government which had authorised the meeting between "dangerous criminals" and the three "renegade" dissidents.

May 1987

HUNGER STRIKE FOR SOVIET JEWS

Rome: the ex-terrorists imprisoned in Rebibbia Jail took part in a hunger strike and symbolically in the demonstration organised by the Radical Party outside the Soviet Embassy for the freedom and rights of Soviet Jews to emigrate to Israel. "We are brothers in solidarity, because we also live surrounded by walls; so we know what you are going through, because by giving up intolerance and opting for democracy we have become infinitely richer in freedom".