Milan, January 7 – The commemorative plaque dedicated to public security agent Andrea Campagna, who was killed on April 19, 1979, in an attack claimed by the Proletari Armati per il Comunismo during the ‘Years of Lead’, has been damaged in Milan. The plaque was vandalized on Tuesday evening, January 6th, in via Modica, in the Barona district, precisely where Andrea, serving with the Digos of the Lombard capital, was assassinated. This act has struck a symbol of civil memory and has provoked outrage among citizens and institutions.
Brother’s Reaction: “A Cowardly Act”
“It’s a cowardly act. If it was done deliberately against my brother, it’s a cowardly act. I hope instead that it was just a prank, and that neither politics nor Andrea’s figure are involved,” commented his brother, Maurizio Campagna. He learned about the incident online, reading a post about the Barona area, and now hopes that investigations can shed light on the episode: “We hope that the cameras of the gas station nearby have captured what happened.” For the brother of the slain agent, targeting a plaque dedicated to victims of terrorism represents a particularly serious gesture. “Attacking plaques of terrorism victims is a cowardly act. They are all heroes indiscriminately, whether they were police officers or civilians,” he emphasized, recalling the value of these places as tools of memory, especially for those who did not live through that season of violence. “It’s something that remains for people who did not live through that dramatic era in Italy,” he explained. “It was a terrible period; every day there were murders, injuries, massacres. The whole country was affected, especially those who cared about democracy.”
Institutions Condemn the Vandalism
“This is a very serious act committed by those who not only have no respect for the innocent victim of a brutal and cowardly murder committed in the years of lead by left-wing extremists, but would also like to bring back to Italy the climate of hatred and tension of those years,” stated Romano La Russa, regional councilor for Security. “An even more vile act if we consider that tomorrow marks the 46th anniversary of the Via Schievano massacre, in which three police officers, Antonio Cestari, Rocco Santoro, and Michele Tatulli, were brutally murdered by the Red Brigades. All innocent victims of ideological violence fueled by red extremism. Our thoughts, our memory, and our commitment go to them to transmit to new generations the profound sense of the State they embodied,” concluded the councilor.
Ongoing Investigation and Call for Vigilance
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, with hopes that surveillance footage from nearby establishments, such as the gas station mentioned by Maurizio Campagna, will provide crucial evidence. The act of vandalism underscores the enduring sensitivity surrounding the ‘Years of Lead’ in Italy and the importance of preserving the memory of its victims. Citizens and institutions alike are calling for greater respect for these symbols of remembrance and for continued vigilance against any attempts to rekindle past ideological conflicts.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the need to protect historical memory and to educate younger generations about the tragic periods in the nation’s history, preventing such acts of disrespect from recurring.
Source: [corriere.it](https://milano.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/26_gennaio_07/milano-vandalizzata-la-targa-commemorativa-dedicata-all-agente-della-digos-andrea-campagna-ucciso-in-un-attentato-nel-1979-af8f61c4-cd00-4437-aae3-7a0902ca0xlk.shtml)
