The Italian police had to turn water cannons on anti-fascist activists who gathered at Piazza Galvani in Bologna, Italy, to protest a planned speech by the leader of a far-right party, Forza Nuova's Roberto Fiore, who is running for the upcoming parliamentary election.
The demonstration, which reportedly gathered some 100 protesters, was joined by Pierluigi Bersani, a former government minister, who is also running in the elections.
According to Bersani, the only way to fight "regurgitated fascists and terroristic phenomenon" is to "go into the streets and go there together."
According to the Washington Post, the protests come amid fears of a revival of neo-fascist sentiment ahead of the election.
The 2018 Italian general election is due to be held on March 4, 2018, after the Italian Parliament was dissolved by President Sergio Mattarella on December 28, 2017. Voters will elect the 630 members of the Chamber of Deputies and the 315 elective members of the Senate of the Republic for the 18th legislature of the Republic of Italy since 1948.