The Venetian Most Serene Government (Veneto Serenissimo Governo, VSG), whose members are often referred to as Serenissimi, is a political organization active in Veneto. The group's goal is independence and self-government for Venetian lands and it is a bulwark of Venetian nationalism.
History In the early 1980s Luigi Faccia and Flavio Contin left Liga Veneta, the mainstream regionalist party in Veneto, because they considered it too moderate. On 25 January 1987 Faccia and Contin launched the VSG. In 1992 the group was joined by Fausto Faccia, brother of Luigi, and, later, by Bepin Segato, who was appointed "ambassador" of the VSG. Since 1996 the group has repeatedly hijacked the frequencies of RAI, the Italian state-owned public service broadcaster, in Veneto with separatist proclamations in the Venetian language.Francesco Jori, Dalla Łiga alla Lega. Storia, movimenti, protagonisti, Marsilio, Venice 2009, pp. 54, 105–108 This was accomplished through a variety of techniques, relying on low-power home-built transmitters, and ultimately reaching the largest impact though hiding such automatic broadcasting stations on tree-tops, with a timer to play a tape-recorded declaration on-top just of the audio signal for the 20:00 RaiUno national evening news, on March 17th 1997.
During the night between 8 and 9 May 1997 the Serenissimi took over a local ferry boat and occupied Piazza San Marco and the St Mark's Campanile in Venice in order to proclaim the "independence of Veneto" with an armed (although bloodless) demonstrative action. After eight hours, the Carabinieri stormed the Campanile and arrested the entire group.Commando assalta Venezia, torna la paura. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011." Abbiamo occupato piazza San Marco ". Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011. All the members of the group, including Faccia and Segato (neither of whom directly participated in the action) were arrested.Alvise Fontanella, 1997: Il ritorno della Serenissima, Editoria Universitaria, Venice 1997.Francesco Jori, Dalla Łiga alla Lega. Storia, movimenti, protagonisti, Marsilio, Venice 2009, pp. 54, 108–111 The symbolic effort was criticized by Umberto Bossi and Roberto Maroni,Maroni: altro che opera nostra, qui bisogna riaprire i manicomi. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011. leaders of Lega Nord, at that time proponents for the independence of Padania, while it was praised by Gianfranco Miglio,Miglio: applaudo quei ragazzi, sono miei buoni allievi. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011. a former senator of the League who was then elected as an independent for the center-right Pole of Freedoms.
The Serenissimi attained a measure of popularity with the Venetian public and the tanko is a common exhibit at the yearly Festa dei Veneti"Festa dei Veneti" con il Tanko dell' assalto al campanile. Patrocinio della Regione, è scontro. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011. and at other rallies, even outside of Veneto.Esposto il "tanko" dei Serenissimi. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
Segato was a candidate of Liga Veneta Repubblica in the 2001 general electionSegato al Senato, prova di evasione elettorale. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011. and came short of election to the Italian Senate, having received 9.8% of the vote in the constituency of Schio.E l' ideologo dei Serenissimi resta in carcere per un pugno di voti. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011. Representatives from most political parties in Veneto, including center-left figures, defended the Serenissimi: Claudio Rizzato of the Democrats of the Left even praised the "noble ideals" of the group,"Pronti a correre con la Liga. I Serenissimi? Nobili ideali". Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011. while Massimo Cacciari and Green Gianfranco Bettin campaigned for the pardon of those in jail, along with the Liga Veneta and the regional section of Forza Italia.I Serenissimi Che Occuparono San Marco . Lamescolanza.com (28 October 2008). Retrieved on 21 October 2011. Some of them are not embarrassed in taking part in the rally,Festa dei veneti, Zaia dà forfait all’ultima ora. Tante magliette colorate: "Veneto is not Italy" . Iveneti.org. Retrieved on 21 October 2011. the Festa dei Veneti, in which the tanko is displayed. More recently, leading members of the League, including Bossi"Libertà per il capo dei Serenissimi". Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.Bossi un anno dopo: padani, sono tornato. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011. and Roberto Calderoli,"A Vicenza si decide sulla secessione". Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011. praised them and another leghista. Roberto Castelli, Minister of Justice in 2003, proposed a pardon for Faccia, who was still in prison,Castelli: mi do da fare per la grazia al "serenissimo". Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.Serenissimi, Castelli esaminerà la domanda di grazia per Faccia. Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011. which was unsuccessful as Faccia himself refused it.Il Serenissimo dell' assalto a Venezia: "Non ci provino con me, io rifiuterei". Archiviostorico.corriere.it (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 21 October 2011.
The group is still active, under the leadership of Luca Peroni, and currently campaigns for a referendum on self-determination of Veneto.
In April 2014 L. Faccia and Contin were arrested, along with several other Venetian separatists (including Franco Rocchetta and LIFE's president Lucio Chiavegato), for suspected crimes including criminal association with terrorism and subversion of the democratic order. In jail, Faccia proclaimed himself as a "war prisoner" and refused to answer questions (as Contin was in house arrest). By the end of April, most detained Venetists were released, as the tribunal of Brescia did not uphold the accusations, with the notable exceptions of Faccia and Contin, who refused to be released.
References
Sources Francesco Jori, Dalla Łiga alla Lega. Storia, movimenti, protagonisti, Marsilio, Venice 2009 Ezio Toffano, Short History of the Venetian Autonomism
Official website Official website