Left-wing activist lives in EU Parliament under house arrest.
In February 2023, Italian teacher Ilaria Salis finds herself in the awkward position of being both under trial for assaulting right-wing extremists in Hungary and a newly elected member of the European Parliament in Italy. Currently under house arrest, Salis, who is 36 years old, was part of the left-wing coalition AVS. The coalition, which managed to double its results from the 2019 European elections to 6.7%, has been pushing for her immediate release. This situation has led to some tension between the EU countries Italy and Hungary.
Salis stands accused of attacking attendees at a far-right event in February of the previous year, allegedly using clubs, hammers, and steel-toed boots. The prosecution states that her actions led to the serious injury of six individuals, including two German left-wing activists. When she appeared in court for the trial's start in January, she was handcuffed and leg-shackled, an action that sparked anger and surprise in Italy. Salis could potentially face up to eleven years in prison.
As of now, Salis is no longer incarcerated but is instead under house arrest after having paid a bond. Each year, on February 11th, a sizeable number of Hungarian and foreign right-wing extremists come together in Budapest to commemorate an event related to the end of World War II involving the German Waffen-SS. Bild:reuters.com/world/europe/hungary-police-detain-italian-teacher-who-assaulted-right
