The evening of Lazio\u2013Milan was supposed to host a symbolic yet very powerful display: the word \u201cLibert\u00e0\u201d stretched along the entire Tribuna Tevere. A message that was non-violent, non-offensive, not political in a partisan sense, but linked to the civil and peaceful protest that part of the fanbase has been carrying out for weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, an hour before kick-off, the club communicated a ban on displaying the word, removing the cards that had already been laid out. According to a statement from the organised support, the decision was imposed directly by the president and senator of the Republic Claudio Lotito, generating outrage and disbelief among those present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The episode is not just a matter of fan support: it touches upon fundamental constitutional principles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Constitutional Rights Involved<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Freedom of expression \u2013 Art. 21 of the Constitution<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Article 21 establishes that \u201ceveryone has the right to freely express their thoughts through speech, writing and any other means of dissemination.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A display inside a stadium is, for all intents and purposes, a form of collective expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The word \u201cLibert\u00e0\u201d contains no insults, threats, hate propaganda or references prohibited by law. It is a universal concept, protected and safeguarded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Freedom of assembly \u2013 Art. 17 of the Constitution<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fans gathered in a stadium are exercising a form of peaceful assembly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Article 17 permits limitations only for \u201cproven reasons of public safety or security.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No concrete risk was indicated to justify the ban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Equality and non-discrimination \u2013 Art. 3 of the Constitution<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Preventing the display of a neutral, non-violent message can configure discriminatory treatment towards a part of the fanbase, especially if the motivation is linked to the ongoing protest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The role of institutions \u2013 Art. 54 of the Constitution<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Article 54 requires that those who exercise public functions do so with \u201cdiscipline and honour.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If a senator intervenes to censor a word that represents a foundational value of the Republic, the institutional paradox is evident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why displaying the word \u201cLibert\u00e0\u201d is not a crime<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No law prohibits the use of the term<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is no Italian law that prohibits the display of the word \u201cLibert\u00e0\u201d in public or private places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is not a partisan political message, not electoral propaganda, not incitement to violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It does not fall under stadium offences<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The legislation on stadium security (Law 401\/1989 and subsequent amendments) punishes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
violence,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
threats,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
racial discrimination,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
prohibited symbols,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
incitement to hatred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The word \u201cLibert\u00e0\u201d does not fall into any of these categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It does not violate sporting regulations<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FIGC and UEFA regulations prohibit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
discriminatory messages,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
explicit political content,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
propaganda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An abstract, universal word, not referring to parties or ideologies, cannot be classified as political propaganda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why the ban is problematic from a legal and social point of view<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is a form of private censorship with public effects<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A sports club can regulate the use of spaces, but it cannot violate constitutional rights without real, documented security reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is a dangerous precedent<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If \u201cLibert\u00e0\u201d is banned, what can be banned tomorrow?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Any form of dissent? Any civil criticism?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is an act that fuels tension instead of reducing it<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Journalistic sources confirm that the ban generated widespread indignation and worsened the rift between fans and the club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ongoing protest and the meaning of the word \u201cLibert\u00e0\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The fans' protest does not only concern sporting results, but a management model perceived as authoritarian, distant and lacking transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this context, the word \u201cLibert\u00e0\u201d could represent:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
freedom of criticism,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
freedom of dissent,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
freedom of collective identity,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
freedom to experience Lazio as a popular heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Precisely for this reason, the censorship appears even more serious: it strikes a symbol that belongs to everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An open wound in the relationship between club and fans<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The reconstructions agree: the removal of the display was sudden, unmotivated and perceived as an abuse of power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The gesture united a large part of the fanbase in a common feeling of indignation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The phrase spread by the organised support perfectly sums up the situation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou cannot stop the wind with your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We also invite you to read this interesting point on X: https:\/\/x.com\/giacomoleandri\/status\/2033310014098592106?s=46&t=Zng8PCaS6otQAqLFnldqww<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The evening of Lazio\u2013Milan was supposed to host a symbolic yet very powerful display: the word \u201cLibert\u00e0\u201d stretched along the entire Tribuna Tevere. A message that was non-violent, non-offensive, not political in a partisan sense, but linked to the civil and peaceful protest that part of the fanbase has been carrying out for weeks. However, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":974,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[182],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1009521","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-stadium"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sslazio.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1009521","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sslazio.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sslazio.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sslazio.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sslazio.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1009521"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sslazio.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1009521\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1022507,"href":"https:\/\/sslazio.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1009521\/revisions\/1022507"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sslazio.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/974"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sslazio.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1009521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sslazio.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1009521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sslazio.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1009521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}