The news is still unclear of what actually happened in Milan, when Italy’s prime minster was at a political function, talking to adoring fans and contributors.
However, at least one person attending the event was not a big Silvio Berusconi fan. The two did not exactly have a face-to-face meeting as much as it was a fist to face confrontation, leaving Berlusconi bleeding on television.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Berusconi headed to the hospital with a few broken teeth, a cut mouth and a severely wounded ego. (Though the LA Times story was written in Rome, which is typically code for “watched it on TV”.) Other reports suggest that Berlusconi was smacked in the gob with a statuette of Milan’s classic cathedral, the Duomo di Milano.
What does this mean for travelers heading to the highly charged country? Pretty much nothing, it’s business as usual. Italians take on a much different approach to politics and when things get emotional, well, that’s just living in the moment. So don’t let this incident sway you one way or another — at least it gives you something to talk about while you’re there.
I’m surprised that Berlusconi ventured out into such a rowdy group of people; it seems like no major world leader should do that regardless of whether it’s a “rally” or not
That’s why Italy is such a great place for politics! Though no one really likes getting hit in the face with a cathedral.