Street art that remembers the political history of the area

 May 14th we arrived in Rome. We are staying in the San Lorenzo area, which has a unique character. It is near the Sapienza University, and its origins were definitely working class. The combination of the blue collar legacy and the university population gave rise to the neighbourhood being labelled "disobedient". The residents opposed the Fascist March on Rome in 1922 and the far left politics are clearly evident today as well. There are many posters calling for action on behalf of workers, women and the oppressed, as well as calls to confront climate change,  poverty, and all sorts of injustice.

There are still many posters up on the walls from May Day rallies and commemorations of the victims of bombings  during the second world war. We are in fact living across the road from The Park of the Fallen 19 July 1943.

This street art refers to the bombing of the area  by the Americans on 19 July 1943 when 690 aircraft dropped 9,125 bombs and upwards of 1600 people were killed. The targets were the steelworks and the rail yards, but many apartments were hit too. On the left hand part of the triptych is the date 19 July 1943 on the right part of the triptych, the label is "today everywhere" 

"And this is the flower of the partisans who died for liberty"

"First of May, festival of the work"

"A flower for the Partisan parade" on Liberation Day 25th April

A rant against the fascist regime that was ultimately responsible for the bombing of the area (above)

The bombs fell like snow on 19th July on San Lorenzo