Senate speaker says he'll drop defamation suit against historian if she apologizes

(ANSA) - ROME, 26 OTT - Senate Speaker Ignazio La Russa said Monday that he was ready to drop plans for defamation litigation against historian Michela Ponzani if she apolizes for comments she made on TV about his participation in a march by right-wing militants in Milan in 1973 in which a police officer was killed. Ponzani referred to the march by members of the youth wing of the now-defunct neo-fascist MSI party, which took place in breach of an ordinance by the prefect's office, while commenting on a security package Premier Giorgia Meloni's government passed last week following rioting by youths in Milan on the weekend of October 17-18. "I am prepared to forgo the legal action if Ms Michela Ponzani offers an immediate apology," La Russa said. "I have only ever sued one person my whole life and that was because they had insulted my late father's memory more than a decade after his passing. "In this instance, however, I am faced with 'fake news' that is deeply damaging to my reputation; it is based on a distortion of events from over 50 years ago and is being exploited today in an attempt to prevent me from unequivocally condemning the violence that took place on Saturday, October 17th. "I demand an apology." Several opposition politicians have said the lawsuit La Russa has announced is groundless and accused him of using it as a way to silence criticism. (ANSA).
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